Ancient Egypt

Intellectual Life

Egyptian Creation Story

Believed that the earth was created when a hill emerged from the waters of chaos. This made sense to them because they often saw islands of mud appearing in the Nile, especially during the flood season.

Atum

The creator-god emerged from the waters standing on this hill. The “perfect one”Self-begottenEjected from himself:

Shu - the airTefenet - the moisture

Next…Atum separated the sky from the earthGeb = the earthNut = the skyGeb and Nut joined and had children:

The gods Osiris, Isis, Seth, and NephthysThese gods formed the first level in the hierarchy of gods.

Beliefs About Birth

Infants were placed in the mother’s womb after being created on a potter’s wheel by the god Khnum.

Existence

KaSpiritual duplicateStored in heartAt death, separated from body

Inhabit tombRequired food, clothing, perfume, furniture

BaCharacter/personalityEntered body at birth

AkhMummy that would transform into a form that could exist in the afterworld upon death

Magic spells

AfterlifeDuplication of best moments on earth

Activities enjoyed the most such as hunting, fishing, feasting, sailing.Death not an end but a beginning.

Upon Death…

Transition into the afterlife. Series of judgments and obstacles they had to pass to enter.

Weighing of the Heart Book of the Dead -> survival guide

Preparation for the Afterlife1. Body must be preserved in lifelike

form2. Body must be provided with items

necessary for afterlife

Burial Practices

Earliest people to settle in the Nile Valley buried their dead in pit-graves, which were dug in the hot desert sands.The dry sand absorbed the bodily fluids and kept the body from decaying.

As Egyptian burials became more elaborate, the bodies were placed in lined tombs.

Bodies decomposed because there was no sand to keep them dry. Needed a method of preservation.Mummification was the answer!

When a person died…

Female relatives (and paid mourners) would bare their breasts and walk through the streets cryingMale relatives, bare to the waist would follow, pounding on their chests

ProcessProcession body taken to purification tent for cleansing and new clothes Taken to embalming tent for preservation (mummification).

Embalming priests wore mask of Anubis (god of embalming) Recited prayers and spells.

MummificationBegan in Old Kingdom -> pharaohsBy New Kingdom -> everyoneDifferent levels according to wealth.Whole process took ~70 days. 4 Basic Steps

Step One All internal organs (except heart) removed. Heart seatbed of intelligence/emotion Brain removed through nose and discarded. Other organs put in canopic jars.

Canopic Jars

Hapybaboon-headed godprotected the lungs

Duamutef jackal-headed godprotected the stomach

Qebehsenuef falcon-headed godprotected the intestines

Imsetyhuman-headed godprotected the liver

Step Two

Body packed and covered with natron - a salty drying agent. Left to dry for 40 days. After 40 days only hair, skin and bones remained.

Step Three

Empty body cavity stuffed with resin, sawdust or linen Body re-shaped to restore the deceased form and features.

Step Four

Body tightly wrapped in linens. Amulets wrapped between layers.

objects to bring good luck. Scarab beetle over heart

Priests recited spells and prayers at each layer. Lasted ~15 days

Procession to the Tomb

Mummy on sledgeCanopic jars on sledgeServants who carried objects the deceased would need

At the Tomb

Opening of the Mouth ceremony ability to speak and eat

Mummy placed in coffin, then sarcophagus, then burial chamber.Goods lowered into place Sealed Banquet