Explain The Ancient Egyptian Burial Process

278 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: The Ancient Egyptian Burial Rite

Ancient Egyptians had many beliefs and rituals about the burial process of the dead. It was important to them that the body was ready for the afterlife. They believed ‘’death was only a temporary interruption or pause to life.’’cite text. The pyramid is a large triangular structure. The pyramids were built out of limestone and they surrounded the tombs. Once the person died, the Egyptians started the mummification process. This was important in the burial process. First they began removing the organs, except the heart. The brain was also removed too. The lungs, stomach, and intestines were placed in jars. These jars were called Canopic Jars. The body would then be wrapped in linen strips until the body was covered. During the process a Greek

Show More
Related

  • Mummy Case of Paankhenamun

    1073 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the ancient Egyptian culture, the belief was that there was a life force and spirit inside of the body, known as the ‘Ka’. Therefore, mummification was performed as a ritual to preserve the physical features of the body as well as to protect its inner spirit, mainly to ensure that the ‘Ka’ could recognize the body where it may dwell in the eternal life. Thus, the funerary psychology of ancient Egyptians was that death did not bring an end to living, but instead was only an escape from the physical human life and a gateway to immortal being. Due to the fact that a being’s life span was short in ancient times, people’s main hopes rested in their afterlives, where they would be with the gods (Stockstad 121).

    Read More

  • Tomb Of Pairy Analysis

    691 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ancient Egyptian culture was largely focused on the afterlife. One of their most important deities, Osiris, became the ruler of the Underworld through death. The pharaoh and elite class prepared for their impending deaths throughout their lives. Much of what survives from ancient Egypt today was found in tombs and temples of the dead. When one of the elite died, the process of laying him or her to rest was extensive. Harold Hays explains that “the ritualized process of embalming and mummification is usually stated as lasting seventy days” (Hays 5). "Funeral Procession, Tomb of Pairy" shows two of the processes that Hays details. The first depicted is the procession to the tomb. Pairy’s body would have already been through several processions, mummification, and embalming. This particular procession’s goal is to lead not just the body, but also the spirit into the afterlife. People of both high and low classes attended this procession, carrying with them the tomb goods (Hays 6-7). The second depicted

    Read More

  • The Coffin Of Tentkhonsu

    769 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Egyptians during this period took ample time and detail on the mummification process to ensure a successful transition from the netherworld to rebirth. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, 1025-980 B.C., it’s a depiction of how the Egyptians valued and honored their elite members of society, as well as their gods. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, itself dates back to the III intermediate period in Egyptian culture. The Egyptian believe was to join Osiris, whom was believed to have ascended to Netherworld and accomplished eternal life.

    Read More

  • Difference Between Etruscans And Egyptian Pyramids

    186 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Egyptian pyramids and the Etruscan burial practices are very much alike. They both consist of burying the dead in a special grave where they are both honored and still remembered depending on how the grave was made. The Egyptian pyramids were a much larger burial ground compared to the Etruscans such as example 8.4 The Great Pyramids. Gizeh, Egypt. These great pyramids usually consisted of huge chambers with many rooms to live in and were usually the tombs for pharaohs unlike the Etruscan which were for an average person. Both of these cultures did include tombs that had been furnished to perceive an actual human being such as example 8.5 Innermost Coffin of Tutankhamen. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Another huge difference between these two

    Read More

  • Egyptian Mummification: It’s History, Purpose, and Process

    2250 Words  | 5 Pages

    The history and tradition of Egypt is one of the most greatly studied and admired of all past world civilizations. The lure of the pyramids and the specter of the sphinx have led many archeologists to dedicate his/her life to unraveling the mysteries of ancient Egyptian culture. Arguably, the most captivating aspect of Egypt’s past is that of mummification. Why did the Egyptians mummify their dead? What beliefs did the Egyptians have regarding the after life? What portion of the Egyptian civilization was mummified? What was the Book of the Dead? This is a mere sampling of the questions that come to my mind when I think of ancient Egyptian culture. I hope to lay forth answers to these questions and many more in the following pages dedicated to the history and purpose behind Egyptian mummification.

    Read More

  • Burial Rites Analysis

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    ‘…the characters’ strength was a direct result of their necessary stoicism in the face of so much hostility.’ Discuss the role of women in Burial Rites.

    Read More

  • Egyptian View of the Afterlife

    1690 Words  | 4 Pages

    The elements that will be focused on are the multiple functions of the tomb and rituals, specifically the mummification of bodies. Ancient Egyptian tombs had many functions; the main function being to hold the bodies of the dead. Tombs were typically built during a person’s lifetime and were ready by their time of death (Olson, 2009). Before bodies were put in the tombs, they underwent a process called mummification to help preserve the body and keep it intact. The tomb was also a place where family members could come and visit the deceased. In the early years, tomb structures were very simple; they consisted only of one chamber (Grajetzki, 2003: 3-4). Later on, façade tombs were built— which consisted of two parts; an “underground chamber for the dead and the superstructure built above the ground, over the shaft and the burial chamber” (Grajetzki, 2003: 8). Next, the Egyptian tombs and ...

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Death And The Afterlife

    1758 Words  | 4 Pages

    A common question many civilizations shared and strived to answer was about death and the afterlife. In Ancient Egypt, the lives of many citizens centered around a prosperous future in death. In fact, Ancient Egyptians believed life continued on in death. For this reason, they yearned to live justly as citizens of Egypt. If not, then the gods would deem them unworthy of entering heaven, or paradise. This was Ancient Egypt, a society seemingly obsessed with the afterlife and enriched with funeral practices. Their worship of pharaohs and gods, detailed inscriptions about mummification, and elaborate tombs influenced their constant strive towards achieving everlasting peace in the afterlife.

    Read More

  • Burial Practices of Ancient Egypt

    1333 Words  | 3 Pages

    The funerary rituals introduced by the Egyptians were the most intricate, spiritual rites in their times and, perhaps, even to this day. Their elaborate customs, tombs, and gifts to the dead were representative of their pious, devoted nature. Albeit not all were as imposing as the oldest and still remaining Seven Wonder of the World, the Pyramids of Giza, all were meaningful and sacred. The Egyptians, highly reverent of their dead, adopted ornate, religious burial practices to fit to every member of their society.

    Read More

  • Mummification and Religion in Ancient Egypt

    1910 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ancient Egyptians were very religious people with various beliefs and gods. Ancient Egypt consisted of the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. Not only is Ancient Egypt known for their outstanding architecture in pyramids, but also, their astonishing understanding of the human body. Mummification began around c.3500 BCE and by the Old Kingdom it had become a standard practice. Everything Egyptians did, including mummification had to do with their religious beliefs. They followed rituals to please the gods and therefore received something in exchange. Moreover, they believed that mummifying a body was preparing a person for their afterlife. The process of mummification changed depending on the person’s socioeconomic status.

    Read More

  • Egyptian Tombs

    1865 Words  | 4 Pages

    were 10 doors and at end there was a statue of Osiris, the god of the

    Read More

  • The Egyptian Process of Mummification

    900 Words  | 2 Pages

    Upon completion of this procedure, the body will now be ready for burial. Egyptians used other methods of embalming. One method attributed to the lower class was to bury the body in the desert sand for a lengthy period of time. Then the sand was sunk. The result of this method dried the skin of the body into a leathery shell.

    Read More

  • Essay On Egyptian Burial Practices

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    The most common ancient Egyptian burial practice is the mummification process as depicted in source B. Mummification is a ritual that embalmers performed when a pharaoh died. Source B is a photograph of the canoptic jars which are a main component of the mummification process. The first step in the mummification process is the removal and preservation of most of the internal organs, such as the lungs, the stomach, the liver and intestines. These organs are then separately embalmed and placed into canoptic jars as source B reveals. These jars were often decorated with one of the four animal-headed sons of the god Horus. Each head is believed to be the protector of each organ within the jar and is dedicated to a specific deity. The preservation of the organs is significant as they allowed the dead person to breathe and eat in the afterlife. The internal organs were then wrapped and put into either the body or put in boxes instead of sitting in jars. Canoptic jars were still placed in the tomb but they were solid or empty and provided a symbolic purpose. In Tutankhamun’s tomb the canoptic jars were discovered in a shrine that was found in the treasury room of the tomb. Source B is useful is when understanding the mummification process.

    Read More

  • Burial In Ancient Egypt

    1226 Words  | 3 Pages

    The tomb of Sennedjem also at Deir El—Madineh (19th dynasty) revealed 20 bodies in addition to the tomb owner and his children. Among these bodies are three infants who were identified as members of the next generation. It seems that the case of the infants here and that of Tutankhamun’s tomb, are the only one found buried inside the tomb of their families. As long as the workmen Sennefer was thought to be a contemporary to Tutankhamun, the researcher can assume that during the reign of this king, a new custom appeared which is considering the infant as being an individual and treating his body as that of an adult who is preferred to be buried in the tomb of his parents to take advantage of the tomb scenes that would help him in crossing to

    Read More

  • Ancient Egyptian Religious Architecture

    1288 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thus, the art and architecture of Ancient Egypt stemmed directly from their religion. Egyptian theology, with its deified pharaohs and strange animal-headed gods, was complicated, but the most important belief was that survival after death depended upon the preservation of the body. This belief would influence the architectural design of the tomb, where the corpse was ultimately sealed (Silverman:142, 1997). Immortality was only for privileged royal and priestly beings (Stierlin:54, 1983).This implies that their tombs would be somewhat prestigious and not just and ordinary burial site. At the day of resurrection the Ka or soul would re-enter the dead body; this meant that it must be there, intact, ready for that moment. It followed logically, that 'once the corpse was embalmed or mummified, it must be preserved in an impregnable tomb.

    Read More

More about Explain The Ancient Egyptian Burial Process

Open Document