17-05-2013, 04:43 PM
Pyramids and mummies
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INTRODUCTION
The people of ancient Egypt believed that upon death, a person’s soul split into several parts, and continued to live on in an afterlife.
Three of the more well-known forms of the spirit were the ba, the akh, and the ka.
Among that the ka lived in the tomb for the rest of eternity.
They provide food and drink for ka.
But the most important thing the ka needed was a body to inhabit. If the body rotted away, there would be no chance of an afterlife.
It was therefore absolutely necessary to preserve the body as a mummy, since the ka still needed it.
This is why the Egyptians made mummies for thousands of years. A mummy was the guarantee of eternal life.
How Mummies Were Made?
The entire process of mummification took 70 days to complete.
The chief embalmer was a priest known as the hery seshta. He wore a jackal mask to represent Anubis, the god of mummification.
Assistants called wetyu bandaged the body and carried out other tasks of the embalming process.
One of the embalmers would use a knife to make an incision in the left side of the abdomen.
Although this step was entirely necessary to remove the organs, they didn't like it because it was considered sinful to disrespect a corpse.
The other embalmers present would curse and throw stones at the man who made the cut.
They weren't really trying to hurt him, it was all just a symbolic part of the ceremony.
canopic jars
The bone that separates the nasal cavity from the brain was broken open by ramming a sharp instrument up the nose.
Next, a long hook was used to stir up the brain until it was liquefied.
Then the embalmers would turn the body face down to allow the brain to ooze out the nostrils. The Egyptians were so rough on the brain because they didn't realize its importance.
Funeral masks
The Egyptians had yet another way to make sure the ka could recognize its own body. After the mummy was wrapped, a mask was fitted over the head and shoulders. The faces on these funeral masks resembled those of the dead, so soul could identify the mummy as its own.
Coffins and sarcophagi
To ensure a mummy’s safety, an Egyptian embalmer could place it in one or more coffins.
Like funeral masks, mummiform coffins had faces that resembled the person inside for easy recognition..
pharaohs' pyramids
Although coffins and sarcophagi did a pretty good job of protecting the mummy, the greatest safeguard against bodily damage was the tomb itself.
The most elaborate tombs are the pharaohs' pyramids
Massive monuments with a square base and four smooth-sided triangular sides, rising to a point.
The Aztecs and Mayans built their pyramids with tiered steps and a flat top.
The ancient Egyptians probably chose that distinctive form for their pharaohs' tombs because of their solar religion.
AT PYRAMIDS
Finally, the mummy was placed in its tomb with all its possessions.
The mourners would have a feast at the door of the tomb, and waste materials left over from the mummification process would be buried nearby.
The mummy, now safe from decay and protected by spells and amulets, would hopefully soon join Osiris in the afterlife!