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Burial Ritual

Burying the dead was of religious concern in Egypt, and Egyptian funerary rituals and equipment eventually became the most elaborate the world has ever known. The Egyptians believed that the vital life-force was composed of several psychical elements, of which the most important was the ka. The ka, a duplicate of the body, accompanied the body throughout life and, after death, departed from the body to take its place in the kingdom of the dead. The ka, however, could not exist without the body; every effort had to be made, therefore, to preserve the corpse. Bodies were embalmed and mummified according to a traditional method supposedly begun by Isis, who mummified her husband Osiris. In addition, wood or stone replicas of the body were put into the tomb in the event that the mummy was destroyed. The greater the number of statue-duplicates in his or her tomb, the more chances the dead person had of resurrection. As a final protection, exceedingly elaborate tombs were erected to protect the corpse and its equipment.

Anubis and the Mummy

After leaving the tomb, the souls of the dead supposedly were beset by innumerable dangers, and the tombs were therefore furnished with a copy of the Book of the Dead. Part of this book, a guide to the world of the dead, consists of charms designed to overcome these dangers. After arriving in the kingdom of the dead, the ka was judged by Osiris, the king of the dead, and 42 demon assistants. The Book of the Dead also contains instructions for proper conduct before these judges. If the judges decided the deceased had been a sinner, the ka was condemned to hunger and thirst or to be torn to pieces by horrible executioners. If the decision was favorable, the ka went to the heavenly realm of the fields of Yaru, where grain grew 3.7 m (12 ft) high and existence was a glorified version of life on earth. All the necessities for this paradisiacal existence, from furniture to reading matter, were, therefore, put into the tombs. As a payment for the afterlife and his benevolent protection, Osiris required the dead to perform tasks for him, such as working in the grain fields. Even this duty could, however, be obviated by placing small statuettes, called ushabtis, into the tomb to serve as substitutes for the deceased.

The entire civilization of Ancient Egypt was based on religion, and their beliefs were important to them. Their belief in the rebirth after death became their driving force behind their funeral practices.

The Egyptians believed that death was simply a temporary interruption, rather than complete cessation, of life, and that eternal life could be ensured by means like piety to the gods, preservation of the physical form through Mummification, and the provision of statuary and other funerary equipment. Each human consisted of the physical body, the 'ka', the 'ba', and the 'akh'. The Name and Shadow were also living entities. To enjoy the afterlife, all these elements had to be sustained and protected from harm.

Egyptians had an elaborate and complex belief in the afterlife.

The Funerary Scene

This scene depicts what occurs after a person has died, according to the ancient Egyptians.

Beginning with the upper left-hand corner, the deceased appears before a panel of 14 judges to make an accounting for his deeds during life. The ankh, the key of life, appears in the hands of some of the judges.

Next, below, the jackal god Anubis who represents the underworld and mummification leads the deceased before the scale. In his hand, Anubis holds the ankh.

Anubis then weighs the heart of the deceased (left tray) against the feather of Ma'at, goddess of truth and justice (right tray). In some drawings, the full goddess Ma'at, not just her feather, is shown seated on the tray. Note that Ma'at's head, crowned by the feather, also appears atop the fulcrum of the scale. If the heart of the deceased outweighs the feather, then the deceased has a heart which has been made heavy with evil deeds. In that event, Ammit the god with the crocodile head and hippopotamus legs will devour the heart, condemning the deceased to oblivion for eternity. But if the feather outweighs the heart, and then the deceased has led a righteous life and may be presented before Osiris to join the afterlife. Thoth, the ibis-headed god of wisdom stands at the ready to record the outcome.

Horus, the god with the falcon head, then leads the deceased to Osiris. Note the ankh in Horus' hand. Horus represents the personification of the Pharaoh during life, and his father Osiris represents the personification of the Pharaoh after death.

Osiris, lord of the underworld, sits on his throne, represented as a mummy. On his head is the white crown of Lower Egypt (the north). He holds the symbols of Egyptian kingship in his hands: the shepherd's crook to symbolize his role as shepherd of mankind, and the flail, to represent his ability to separate the wheat from the chaff. Behind him stand his wife Isis and her sister Nephthys. Isis is the one in red, and Nephthys is the one in green. Together, Osiris, Isis, and Nephthys welcome the deceased to the underworld.

The tomb-owner would continue after death the occupations of this life and so everything required was packed in the tomb along with the body. Writing materials were often supplied along with clothing, wigs, and hairdressing supplies and assorted tools, depending on the occupation of the deceased.

Often model tools rather than full size ones would be placed in the tomb; models were cheaper and took up less space and in the after-life would be magically transformed into the real thing.

Things might include a headrest, glass vessels which may have contained perfume and a slate palette for grinding make-up.

Food was provided for the deceased and should the expected regular offerings of the descendants cease, food depicted on the walls of the tomb would be magically transformed to supply the needs of the dead.

Images on tombs might include a triangular shaped piece of bread (part of the food offerings from a tomb). Other images might represent food items that the tomb owner would have eaten in his lifetime and hoped to eat in the after-life.

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Burial Ritual;

Life was dominated by Ma'at, or the concept of justice and order. Egyptians believed there were different levels of goodness and evil. Egyptians believed that part of the personality, called the Ka, remained in the tomb. Thus elaborate and complex burial practices developed.

The removed internal organs were separately treated and, during much of Egyptian history, placed in jars of clay or stone. These so-called Canopic Jars were closed with stoppers fashioned in the shape of four heads -- human, baboon, falcon, and jackal - representing the four protective spirits called the Four Sons of Horus.

Canopic Jars

The heart was removed to be weighed against a feather representing Ma'at to determine moral righteousness. The brain was sucked out of the cranial cavity and thrown away because the Egyptian's thought it was useless. Personal belongings were usually placed in the tomb to make the Ka more at home and to assist the dead in their journey into the afterlife.

Text was read from the 'Book of the Dead' and the ritual of "opening the mouth" was performed before the tomb was sealed.

Egyptian Book of The Dead - 1240 BC Papyrus of Ani

After judgment, the dead either went to a life not unlike that on Earth or were cast to the 'Eater of the Dead' - Set.

In addition to the decorations on the tomb walls, in some periods, models for the use of the spirit were included in the funerary arrangements. A model boat was transportation on the waters of eternity. Likewise, models of granaries, butcher shops, and kitchens would guarantee the continued well-being of the deceased in the life after death.

Papyrus with Funeral Arrangements ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOMBS

Much of what we know about art and life in ancient Egypt has been preserved in the tombs that were prepared for the protection of the dead. The Egyptians believed that the next life had to be provided for in every detail and, as a result, tombs were decorated with depictions of the deceased at his funerary meal, activities of the estate and countryside, and the abundant offerings necessary to sustain the spirit.

Many surviving Egyptian works of art were created to be placed in the tombs of officials and their families. Through the ritual of "opening the mouth," a statue of the deceased (known as a "ka statue") was thought to become a living repository of a person's spirit. Wall paintings, reliefs, and models depict pleasurable pastimes and occupations of daily life. Always these images have deeper meanings of magical protection, sustenance, and rebirth. The mummy was surrounded with magic spells, amulets, and representations of protective deities.

Coffin of a Middle Kingdom Official

At the near end of the coffin a goddess stands, her arms raised protectively. The hieroglyphic inscriptions are magical requests for offerings and protection. Small magical amulets made of semiprecious stones or faience were placed within the linen wrappings of the mummy. Many of them were hieroglyphic signs.

For Egyptians, the cycles of human life, rebirth, and afterlife mirrored the reproductive cycles that surrounded them in the natural world. After death, the Egyptians looked forward to continuing their daily lives as an invisible spirit among their descendents on Earth in Egypt, enjoying all the pleasures of life with none of its pain or hardships. This vision is vividly depicted in the sculptures, reliefs, and wall paintings of Egyptian tombs, with the deceased portrayed in the way he or she wished to remain forever accompanied by images of family and servants. These forms of art not only reflect the Egyptians' love of life but also by their very presence made the afterlife a reality.

This is a tomb painting from the tomb of a man named Menna.

The Egyptians believed that the pleasures of life could be made permanent through scenes like this one of Menna hunting in the Nile marshes. In this painting Menna, the largest figure, is shown twice. He is spear fishing on the right and flinging throwing sticks at birds on the left. His wife, the second-largest figure, and his daughter and son are with him. By their gestures they assist him and express their affection. The son on the left is drawing attention with a pointed finger to the two little predators (a cat and an ichneumon) that are about to steal the birds' eggs. Pointed fingers were a magical gesture for averting evil in ancient Egypt, and the attack on the nest may well be a reminder of the vulnerability of life. Overall, scenes of life in the marshes, which were depicted in many New Kingdom tombs, also had a deeper meaning. The Nile marshes growing out of the fertile mud of the river and the abundant wildlife supported by that environment symbolized rejuvenation and eternal life.

The figures in Menna's family are ordered within two horizontal rows, or registers, and face toward the center in nearly identical groups that fit within a triangular shape.

MUMMIES AND COFFINS

The mummy was placed in a brightly painted wooden coffin. The elaborate decoration on Nes-mut-aat-neru's coffin fits her status as a member of the aristocracy. A central band contains symbols of rebirth flanked by panels featuring images of god and goddesses. Look for the central panel that shows the winged scarab beetle hovering protectively over the mummy (probably meant to represent the mummy of the Nes-mut-aat-neru herself).

The large white pillar painted on the back of the coffin forms a "backbone." This provides symbolic support for the mummy and displays an inscription detailing Nes-mut-aat-neru's ancestry

Next the mummy and coffin were placed in another wooden coffin. Like the first coffin, it is in the shape of the mummy but more simply decorated. The inside of the base is painted with a full-length figure of a goddess.

The lid again shows Nes-mut-aat-neru's face, wig and elaborate collar. Here too the scarab beetle with outstretched wings hovers over the mummy. Below the scarab look for a small scene showing the deceased Nes-mut-aat-neru worshipping a god, and a two-column inscription.

Finally the mummy and coffins were placed in a rectangular outermost coffin made primarily out of sycamore wood. The posts of the coffin are inscribed with religious texts. On the top of the coffin sits an alert jackal, probably a reference to Anubis, the jackal-headed god who was the patron of embalmers and protector of cemeteries.

These two wooden boxes filled with mud shawabti figures were found with Nes-mut-aat-neru's elaborate nested coffins. Shawabti figures were molded in the shape of a mummified person, and were designed to do any work that the gods asked the deceased's spirit to do in the afterworld.

Stone Coffin - Sarcophagus

Every part of the coffin was decorated, as this foot board shows. The bull was a common element in Egyptian mythology and was identified with the Pharaoh.

The practice of mummifying Apis bulls survived into the Roman occupation of Egypt, but was stopped when the Roman Emperors converted to Christianity and closed 'pagan' temples.

These photographs show sections of some of the coffins in the NMS collection. These examples show very well the stylized representation of the dead person on the outer surfaces.

Anthropoid, or person shaped, coffins were particularly important to the Ancient Egyptians as they were believed to act as a substitute body for use after death. This is why the dead person as being young and powerful to ensure them health in the afterlife. Supplies and tools for use in the afterworld were often included in the decoration as well which would magically become usable.

One of the most beautiful examples of Egyptian coffin artwork is housed in the Egyptian Gallery of the Royal Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. In the 'Underworld of the tomb' exhibit there is an amazingly detailed painted coffin baseboard, some of which is shown here.

The baseboard is of the traditional construction. It dates to the 21st or 22nd Dynasty, approximately 900 B.C and is constructed of wood covered in gesso and painted. It was excavated at Thebes by the Scottish archaeologist A.H. Rind.

The central figure on the board is the god Osiris represented as a mummified Pharaoh. He is shown being worshiped by the deceased in the form of a human headed 'Ba' bird.

The detail image on the right shows Anubis the god of embalming. He appears in the bottom left of the main image

A common feature of coffin art, especially from the Middle Kingdom, was the inclusion of divine wings wrapped around the deceased. These symbolised the that the deceased was blessed with divine protection in the afterlife

This idea of protective wings surrounding the body was developed throughout the history of dynastic Egypt. The wings were either across the chest, as shown here, or wrapped round the coffin from the sides. A later development was the Rishi or feathered coffin.

One noteable exception from this portrayal on coffins was the relative rarity of coffins decorated with Horus, possibly because the falcon was associated with light airy places or because the influence of Horus was restricted to the Living. However the god Sokaris is often found in funerary art.

A common inclusion in burials, either as models or paintings, were the Four Sons Of Horus, the guardians of the internal organs. The examples shown here are painted on a coffin lid in the N.M.S.

This detail shows another common image from Egyptian coffin art, in which the soul of the deceased in the form of his human headed Ba bird offers praises to the mummified form of the god Osiris. It was hoped that if the dead were identified with Osiris he would provide them with protection in the afterlife.

A wide range of images occur frequently in coffin art. Many of these were intended to identify the deceased with various gods. In these examples Isis holding the Ankh symbol is shown praising the mummified body of the deceased represented as Osiris.

The jackal headed God, possibly Anubis, holds the hook and flail. These are symbols of royal power. In addition he wears the combined crown of upper and lower Egypt showing he is the king of the two lands.

Horus himself is a surprisingly infrequent star in Egyptian coffin art. This is probably because the Falcon is usually associated with light, airy places, not tombs. The Falcon headed god Sokaris is a more common feature, but it is thought that his association with death came some time after the god was established.

This photograph shows Horus, and his 4 Sons.

Yes I have heard that term 'ka' in Erlyne Chaney's book 'Initiation'.

The very ancient Egyptians believed in the different levels of consciousness (conscious, subconscious, and super conscious). I think they also believed that we have both a physical body and a spiritual body. During the initiation rites the initiates left their physical body and experiences things at the spiritual level.

Interestingly she said the Great Pyramid also has a 'twin' that exists in the spirit world. So perhaps the terrestrial pyramid represents the physical body and that other pyramid represents the spiritual body.

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