Remains of Egyptian Kings and Myth by by Robert Morkot

“Divine of Body: The Remains of Egyptian Kings” was written by Robert Morkot, a lecturer in Archeology at the University of Exeter, and was published in Past and Present in 2010. In this article, Morkot argues that the Egyptian practice of mummification was not related to the western principle of relic-collection and that the remains of rulers weren't worshiped or put on display. Instead, the Egyptian obsession with the preservation of bodies was linked to their view of a complete body being essential as a place for the soul to reside after death. Current mummies are a controversial issue due to how, or if, they should be displayed to the public because the Egyptian Kings wouldn't have wanted to be put on display. The way in which they are displayed is more in line with the western view of relics than the religious significance with which the Egyptians intended them to be. The lack of this “relic view” of the mummified remains in Egypt is due to their “completeness view,” closely associated with religious practices of the time. Each person was made up of different elements, each having a different purpose, and together making up the essence of that person. Upon preservation, the body became a vessel for the soul, divine (after the incense rite) and non. The body was placed in a tomb, which became the place of rituals for awhile after death. These tombs were robbed many times over the years, but the primary motivation appears to have been the acquisition of valuables and not on the collection of relics. In many cases, after robbery, the mummified bodies would be re-wrapped and preserved along with all the rituals that went with it, showing how important it was that the body remain complete after death.

In his analysis of Egyptian...

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... myth of the weighing of the heart by Osiris provided a reason for the Egyptians to act in a reasonable manner and not treat others badly. We have our own myths and exaggerations that provide reasoning behind this way of operating, such as the persecution of religion in Europe and the many talked-of events and battles of colonial America. Also, we can look at the myth of Nebusemekh to understand the need for a complete body and undamaged tomb/ resting place, without which the spirit “lives” a terrible existence or dies (Egyptian 112).

Works Cited

Morkot, Robert. “Divine of Body: The Remains of Egyptian Kings—Preservation, Reverence, and Memory in a World Without Relics.” Past and Present. The Past and Present Society, 2010. 37-55. Web. March 15, 2014.

Pinch, Geraldine. Egyptian Myth a Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press Inc, 2004. Print.