Mummification In Egyptian Mythology

The Process of Mummification The earliest ancient Egyptians buried their dead in small pits in the

Ancient Egyptian embalming was a very sacred process performed by experienced embalmers. Ancient Egyptians used to bury the deceased underground, but because of that they decayed faster in a coffin when they aren’t exposed to the hot sand of the desert. That is how they developed the process of embalming to preserve the bodies.

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

Funerary customs are practises and beliefs that the Ancient Egyptians used to respect their dead, and preserve their bodies in preparation for the afterlife which was a universe that mirrored their life on Earth, where they would live with the Gods in eternal Egypt. The body of the deceased could be mummified, which was where a body is dried, packed with minerals and wrapped in linen cloths, whereas another form would be embalming which is the use of salts and spices to preserve a body and took 70 days in total. However, there were many tests and dangers on the way to the afterlife, including fire-filled lakes, poisonous snakes and executioners. Because of this, there were many ceremonies and tests to see if the deceased person was worthy of the Afterlife. Such as the opening of the mouth ceremony which was when a priest touched parts of the deceased body at a funeral in order for the

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.

The Egyptian during this time used the coffin to house the dead person’s body, as it was believed that only after

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.

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 Coffin of Iret-hor-irou fits in with the Ancient Egyptian culture for many reasons. One reason is that this work of art associates with the Egyptian’s ceremonial, burial practice. During the time of Ancient Egypt, people participated in a unique burial practice known as mummification. In mummification a body would be preserved using a solution known as natron, after the

Ancient Egyptians from the Old Kingdom through New Kingdom and later on Late Period or Ptolemaic Period used the mummification based on the idea that the dead ones souls wandered and were unable to return to their bodies. Therefore they preserved the physical bodies that were paramount. Egyptians used special jars during mummification process with beliefs related to afterlife and safeguard the soul.

It is believed that one of the civilizations were Sumer were filled with hunter-gathers who recently evolved from Cro-Magnons to Homo sapiens. The southern part of Mesopotamia lacked resources. But, how would they acquire natural resources. Sumerian ships would travel far distances to collect: lapis lazuli, gold, or copper! But what would they trade? They would usually trade crops. Around 3500 B.C the Sumerians invented the wheel. Making travel by foot much easier… In fact replacing it, with a wagon! But, what else than crops would they trade? The Sumerians invented bronze by combining molten copper, and tin to make bronze. Ushering them into a new era or age. Calling it the “Bronze Age.” Now with this metal, they can produce more durable weapons, jewelry and armor. Increasing their trade!

The afterlife was also known as the land of Osiris, the God and king of the dead and the underworld. He ruled his kingdom with his wife isis who was the healing goddess. Osiris was the ‘’gate keeper’’ to the underworld. This journey was considered a very dangerous and difficult. The Pharaohs spirit, after being placed in their coffin made their way across the desert heading west towards the sun over the horizon and

The three different levels of mummification were using a crooked iron tool, syringes with the oil, and purge. During the level on which will be the crooked iron tool, the procedure was to “drawn out the brain through the nostrils, extracting it partly thus and partly by pouring in drugs; after this with a sharp stone of Ethiopia they make a cut along the side and take out the whole contents of the belly, and when they cleared out the cavity and cleansed it with palm-wine they cleanse it again with spices pounded up; then they fill the belly with pure myrrh pounded up and with cassia and other spices except frankincense, and set it together again” (Herodotus). After seventy days they wash the body, then they wrap the corpse with fine linen.

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

“The Mummy” derives from ancient egyptian Mythology, and adopts specific traditions carried out the majority of Mummy folklore. Mummies are frequently (however with exception) Pharaohs, their wives of family, high ranking officials such or scribes or priests, or wealthy members of the society. The rituals are very detailed, with each facet serving a specific purpose. In passing, the organs are removed carefully and placed in canopic jars to be buried with the deceased. The remaining body parts are wrapped in cloth, and placed in ornate coffins called Sarcophagus, often detailing a likeness of the body it holds, or ancient script describing their life death or instructions into death. Any striations from this ritual often symbolizes a misconduct within their lifetime, and being mummified alive signifying a fate worse than death. This theme of ritual and tradition is heavily prevalent in Grant Allen’s short story My New Year’s Eve among the Mummies. The main character J. Arbuthnot Wilson recounts a strange memory/dream of spending a night in the great unopened Pyramid of Abu Yilla in Egypt. Wilson stumbles upon/is psychically drawn to the Pyramid, and interrupts a ritual in which occurs once every 1000 years. The court of Pharaoh Thothmes lives is in permanent slumber, yet arises once every 1000 years for