Mummification In Egypt

When discussing ancient Egypt, it is imperative that myth and religion are discussed as well. Religion was an integral part of the Egyptian state, particularly because the Pharaoh was seen as a divine figure (Olszewski 2016). Also, different Gods and Goddesses symbolized many aspects of Egyptian life, especially regarding the rituals that took place during the burial and mummification process as well as the rituals that were conducted by the ruling Pharaohs. In this literature review, I will be discussing important Egyptian myths and religious aspects of the ancient Egyptian burial process and how pharaohs ruled over Egypt through divine power and rituals.

Burial

“Like many throughout prehistory and history, ancient Egyptians were concerned

with what happened to them after death and how to prepare for that event” (Olszewski 2016, 276). The ancient Egyptian burial process begins with mummification, however this was mostly found in elite burials because it was a costly process (Baines and Lacovara 2002). The most important myth one needs to know to understand the rituals that take place during the mummification process is the myth regarding the Gods and Goddess; Osiris, Seth and Isis. In short, all three were siblings and Osiris and Isis were married. They had a son, named Horus and Osiris became King of Egypt (Olszewski 2016). Seth was the “evil” brother who ended up killing Osiris by cutting him into small pieces and spreading him over Egypt to prevent him from being resurrected. After this happened, Isis collected all of his pieces to reassemble him. To do this, she placed his body in an embalming tent to be mummified and during this time he was visited by many gods and goddesses to help repair him (Grajetzki 2014). Finally, his son Horus came to visit him and placed his nose against him, which is the symbol for life, and Osiris, was brought back from the afterlife (Grajetzki 2014).
With this myth in mind, why the mummification process is integral to the burial customs of wealthier individuals in Egypt is clear.

The Egyptians take part in this process because they want to have an afterlife like the one represented in the myth of Isis and Osiris. Osiris was brought back as he originally was because of mummification, so elites believe that the mummification would preserve them, as is, for the afterlife. During the Middle Kingdom period, Osiris was depicted partially wrapped like a mummy; however his upper body was visible, so the royal symbols could be seen as well as the color of his skin, which represented rebirth or other aspects (Olszewski 2016). The organs were removed, the body was dried out, and grave goods that could be everyday objects or wealthier goods to live the life style they were accustomed to in the afterlife (Olszewski 2016). According to the ideal style for burial, the correct deposition of the corpse and… the presence of grave goods were central to burial and hopes of survival in the next world (Baines and Lacovara 2002). Rituals regarding burial are well-known from several depictions in tombs from almost all periods of ancient Egyptians history (Grajetzki 2014); given this it is clear that religion and myth played an important role for burial and mummification. However, burials of the wider population in ancient Egypt looks very different than the ruling class (Grajetzki 2014). There is speculation about if obtaining grave goods and

sustenance were key to the afterlife, how did the poorest people secure the eternal life? Grajetski suggests that family members may or may not have performed similar, but small scale rituals, to secure their place.
Overall, Egyptian elites took the religious and ritual aspects of mummification very seriously; they would begin preparing years before they even died. This intensity of their beliefs relies heavily on myth and religion, especially the myth of Isis and Osiris.

Pharaonic Rule
A majority of pharaohs in Egyptian history were men; however there were few women that came to rule as well.

According to Egyptian doctrines, the pharaoh is the son of Ra (Dunca 2012). Ra is the central god of Egyptian mythology and is represented by the sun. Given this, the pharaoh is supposed to be seen as a divine figure ruling over Egypt and its people. The same myth as I discussed earlier, regarding Isis and Osiris is used as the ruling myth because this myth represents many different aspects of Egyptian life. Osiris was the King of Egypt, as mentioned before, and when his son Horus defeated Osiris’s evil brother, Seth, he followed his father’s footsteps and became King of Egypt. This was reinforced by the association of the pharaoh’s name with the falcon hieroglyph that stood for Horus, who was the son of Isis and Osiris (Olszewski 2016). In ancient Egypt, the falcon was the only animal that was able to look directly at the sun, which represented Horus as well as other gods such as Ra, who was believed to be the sun, and Montu (Cicarma 2013). Horus was not only known for being their son, but as the protection over Egypt. “The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection and of the royal power from the deities” (Cicarma 2013). Being the son of Isis and Osiris and the symbol for protection over Egypt, he was the mythical heir to Royalty in Egypt (Cicarma 2013). All of this information reinforces the belief that pharaohs were divine rulers and were the

earthly representation of gods because they represented themselves by using the falcon hieroglyph, which symbolizes a royal deity.
Pharaohs portraying themselves as having divine power or being the physical representation of gods strengthened their rule over the population because the citizens wanted to please their gods for rebirth, a good harvest, fertility, among many other ritual practices. These special occasions were times when the ruling elites used their status as gods to help ensure fertility for agriculture, the annual flooding of the Nile River, and the rejuvenation of life, especially that of the pharaoh (Olszewski 2016). During these events, the pharaoh would carry the symbols of royal and divine authority, such as the flail, which was closely associated with Osiris. The pharaohs also used their divine power to establish centralized control over the economy and militarization. The pharaohs, whether they themselves actually believed they were Osiris, Isis, Horus or any other physical representation of a God, used religion as an advantage to manipulate the people of Egypt.
Overall, ancient Egyptian pharaohs used the myth of Isis and Osiris to strengthen their rule as well as the status of other gods in the Egyptian Pantheon of Gods. Rituals and other festivals that took place throughout ancient Egypt were supposed to be for the gods to fertilize the lands as well as other activities, but the gods were represented through the pharaohs. “These gods and goddesses each were worshipped at cult centers (Olszewski 2016, 275). Myth and religion were the main reasons the citizens in ancient Egypt followed the pharaohs because they believed the pharaohs were actually gods. This is proof of the relationship between religion, the gods and the foundations of human society in ancient Egypt.