| Funerals
As soon as someone died the body
of the deceased was transported by boat to the "city of the dead" to be
mummified. During the time of mummification the family went into a period of deep
mourning. The men didn't shave. The women wore torn clothes. The family ate little during
this period of usually 70 days.
Replica of a Shrine
Boat at Dender
Photo
courtesy and ©1996 Richard Deurer, Ancient Gallery Directory
Used with permission. |
Funerals were carefully planned. The
procession started out from the house of the dead person. A coffin was carried on a wooden
sled pulled by oxen. The coffin was taken across the river by boat to the place of
mummification. The mummy was placed in the coffin there. The royal family headed the procession. Priest read from
religious works. Incense was burned. Servants carried many articles including furniture,
cosmetics, and other personal belongings. Next a group of many professional mourners
followed. The mourners cried loudly, tore their garments, and covered their heads with
dust to show their grief.
The mummy chamber was filled with the personal items.
Miniature figures of servants called shabtis were placed in the chamber. These were
intended to act as stand-ins if the gods were to ask the mummy to perform duties.
Tombs had between only one shabtis to over 700 found in the tomb of King Seti I. |
After entering the tomb
the queen said goodbye. The "opening of the mouth" was performed. This ritual
was performed by a priest wearing a mask. The mask represented the jackal-headed god
Anubis. This ritual was to open the body's senses to allow its departed soul to return. A
ritual adz was put on the mummy's nose, eyes, ears, and mouth to revive the dead person's
spirit. Next a meal was served. The mummy was believed to have the magical power to
eat the food that would be left in the tomb. The meal might include roast ox, sheep, or
goat, ducks, and geese. The funeral guests drank wine and the juices of dates and
poegranates. Once the meal was over the tomb was then closed. The mourners returned home.
The members of the family brought food
and drink to the offering temple regularly to assure themselves the Ka would continue to
be fed.
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Anubis - The god who
prepares the bodies of the dead to be received by Osiris. |
The Book of
the Dead
In late times the pharaoh was buried
with maps of the underworld, charms, and spells. These were written on the walls of the
tomb or on decorated papyrus scrolls. These have become known as Pyramid Texts, Coffin
Texts, or if written on papyrus as The Books of the Dead. The Egyptians believed these
writings had the power to lead the dead safely past demons and monsters into the presence
of the gods.
Judgment
Egyptians believed that after you died,
Osiris and Maat would meet you to weigh your heart. The heart was placed on one side of a
scale and Maat's Feather of Truth on the other side. Forty-two gods or goddesses would
interview the heart. They questioned it about crimes it may have committed. If the heart
was light with no hate, the person would gain eternal life. If the heart was heavy, the
goddess Ammut would eat it.
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