Analysis Of The Mummy

This latter point is exceedingly salient, and the prominent featuring of Egyptian gods throughout Tutankhamun’s tomb denotes the considerable cultural significance of religion and the way in which it essentially governed much of ancient Egyptian society. Correspondingly, such artefacts as the Shabti dolls further emphasize the importance of the afterlife, as the minuscule dolls are intended to represent servants for the pharaoh in life after death. This illustrates that the pharaoh was regarded as a hugely esteemed figure and shows the focus that was placed upon ensuring that the afterlife was a comfortable and hospitable environment for the ruler.

The work I chose to analyze was from a wall fragment from the tomb of Ameneemhet and wife Hemet called Mummy Case of Paankhenamun, found in the Art Institute of Chicago. The case of the Mummy Paankhenamun is one of the most exquisite pieces of art produced by the Egyptian people during the time before Christ. This coffin belonged to a man named Paankhenamun, which translates to “He Lives for Amun” (Hornblower & Spawforth 74). Paankhenamun was the doorkeeper of the temple of the god Amun, a position he inherited from his father.

This necapolis is located on the west bank of the Nile River in Egypt and dates back in use from 1539-1075 B.C. (cited). These structures were not monuments to the Pharaoh’s life but were considered to be portals to the next one. The chamber rooms contained items made solely for use in the afterlife to insure the Pharaoh’s success. Detailed instructions and illustrations are on the walls exhibiting the trials and tests the king will be required to pass before obtaining his immortality and placement among the gods. The process of mummification was developed for the purpose of the sovereign’s body to be reanimated in the afterlife.

Several well-known historical films such as The Mummy, Disney’s Pocahontas, Gladiator, Marie Antoinette and Shakespeare in Love are often portrayed based on stereotypes where historical people and events are altered for the sole purpose of entertainment. Take for example the film, The Mummy (1999), which was set in ancient Egypt. The mysterious and yet thrilling element of mummies associated with the belief of curses, along with the Egyptian culture, beliefs and architecture enthrall people to this specific genre. Although The Mummy (1999) teems with suspense and anticipation, it is embellished with false facts and distorts the ancient Egyptian culture to captivate the viewers. Not only did the film manipulate several ancient Egyptian facts

The tombs had two main functions. The first function was a place that provided an eternal resting place in which the body could lay protected from thieves and scavengers. The second function of the tomb was a place where cults and ritual acts could be performed to ensure eternal life (Taylor, 2001:136). The body of the person was buried along with their belongings in the tomb to ensure the individual had all the proper materials needed for the afterlife. The Egyptians usually did this because “Tombs were constructed to mirror aspects of the afterlife” (Olson, 2009). These tombs were not only a place where bodies of a deceased lay; it was also a place where rituals would take place. One ritual that was done on the bodies was the ‘Opening of the Mouth’. This was a burial ritual that “accompanied the placement of funerary goods in a tomb- and was a necessary step in the deceased’s rebirth” (Olson, 2009). One very important service that had to be done was the mummification process in which the removal of organs

Welcome, I am an Egyptologist from the British Museum, and I am here to talk to you about a fantastic civilization called Ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt was an empire that began in approximately 3100BCE, and ended in 30BCE. In the time of Ancient Egypt, funerary customs were an important part of the Egyptian’s culture and beliefs and these customs evolved through time to become more elaborate, and common. The artefact I have chosen to explore with you is the book of the dead as it will provide you with a greater understanding of the complex funerary customs, and their beliefs in the afterlife.

Mummification is an ancient egyptian burial rite that is centered around preparing the soul of the deceased for the afterlife. There are multiple steps involved in the process of mummification and several objects with different functions used to perform this burial rite. Mummification is centered around the thought that death was merely physical and your soul continued living, with the ability to take distinct action, in the afterlife. Everyone desired to be mummified, however the extent of the mummification depended on the wealth of the family involved. Mummification was also generally not a rite reserved for criminals and lawbreakers since the idea behind mummification is for the deceased to have an easier afterlife.

This photo essay demonstrates the value the ancient Egyptians placed in material goods and earthly possessions, even insisting on being buried with them to take to the afterlife. Many of the items Tutankhamen was buried with were things that might have been important to him in his life, and thus buried to be taken with him to the afterlife, however other items, such as the funerary barge and the ornate canopic jars, suggest that these elaborate items are connected to their belief of passage into the afterlife. If this is true, it emphasizes the point that treasures have emotional ties, the ancient Egyptians would have had an emotional connection to whether or not their pharaoh made a safe passage into the

Masks of deceased persons are part of traditions in many countries. The most important process of the funeral ceremony in ancient Egypt was the mummification of the body, which, after prayers and consecration, was put into a sarcophagus enameled and decorated with gold and gems. A special element of the rite was a sculpted mask, put on the face of the deceased. This mask was believed to strengthen the spirit of the mummy and guard the soul from evil spirits on its way to the afterworld.

Going deeper into the exhibit, there was a sarcophagus with a mummy inside in a large display case. The mummy’s head was covered with an Egyptian headpiece. These items particularly were said to be the very first that Andrew Carnegie had donated for the Egyptian exhibit. I was a little surprised at how small the body and the sarcophagus were. I learned that this was because people in Egypt at the time often did not grow to be very tall due to malnutrition. On the other side of the display, there is a kind of imitation of what an Egyptian tomb would be like. It had the sarcophagus standing up in the middle and then showed illustrations of different types of items laid out around it such as jewelry, vases, and family heirlooms that were significant to the person who died. Aside from mummifying people, the Egyptians had mummified pets too like dogs and cats. However, animals were mummified as deities rather than their way of properly putting the body at peace. Surprisingly, the display explained that dogs were actually the more popular animal over cats in Egyptian civilization. Turning to leave the exhibit, along the wall were illustrations of a line up of the Egyptian gods and goddesses. Each was depicted very differently; some with heads of different animals atop a human body. I obtained a lot of new knowledge by the time I left the exhibit. It was surprising how much information they could fit in this small room.

On September 9, 1991 a discovery was made that changed scientist’s view on the Neolithic and Copper Era forever. What was found turned out to be the oldest frozen mummy ever in history. Little did scientists know that what they could have on their hands is a murder.

Tutankhamun’s tomb created in 1323 B.C.E in Egypt demonstrates the burial traditions associated with ancient egypt. Both the visual and contextual pieces to this sarcophagus demonstrates the complexity and amazement that the ancient egyptians placed around death. From the materials that the sarcophagus was made out of and the symbols that can be seen, to the historical background surrounding the pharaoh that was placed inside many details about these people’s burial practices can be made.

The Egyptian Mummy Mask from the early Roman Period is unique and beautiful in every way possible. This mask that is on display in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston is about 3 feet tall to about 2 feet wide. This certain piece of magnificent art is extremely detailed with intricate designs covering it all around. The Museum of Fine Arts makes it easy to pay attention to, because of its detail and how the mask is displayed. The Mummy Mask has it’s own small alter with a spot light shining down on it creating dramatic shadows in a very dim room. The decorations include inlaid glass eyes, a gold leaf and is hand-painted and gilded glass. This mask is not paper maché like the masks that were made in this era; this Mummy Mask had been created out of cartonnage . The Egyptians decorated this masterpiece with bold vertical and horizontal lines representing rows of beads to go along with the story it tells. The Egyptian Mummy Mask from the first half of the first century A.D illustrates a gaze of innocence and acceptance while looking into the bright future of whom the mask was made for. Perfectly painted images covering the mask tell a story of the traditional funerary practices and the after life Egyptians believed in. Egyptians would create these pieces to fit over the heads of the lost lives wrapped inside the mummy. The mask represents the deceased transformed into a God . Although the face of the mask is idealized and emotionless, the decorations say and express more than a

The shrine of Tutankhamun uncovers the burial customs of the New Kingdom Egyptians. The Canopic Shrine positioned on the east wall of the Treasury holds Tutankhamun's embalmed internal organs. A gold chest held four Canopic jars containing the dead pharaoh's internal organs in each jar. Undoubtedly, through the process of mummification, the embalmers must have removed the internal organs and preserved them in the Canopic jars, perhaps to be taken with the pharaoh to the next world. The third and innermost of three coffins of Tutankhamun is made of solid gold and is inset with semiprecious stones and coloured glass. It is covered with carved decorations and inscriptions inside and outside. It bears the names and epitaph of the deceased king and also protective texts. From this we discover the significance of the importance of the decoration of the mummy was, and the power the coffin was believed to hold. Originally, mummification was so expensive that it was a privilege enjoyed only by the Pharaoh and few nobles. Everybody else was given a simple grave burial in one of the vast cemeteries or "necropolises" of the time. But the promise of eternal life was so appealing that it wasn't long before other classes of Egyptians began signing up for mummification, too.

form of a bird usually a falcon and fly around in the world of the living