Mummy Case of Paankhenamun

It is a portrait not of an individual but the concept of divine power unlike how the others were portraits of important people. This mummy from ancient Egypt shows their belief in the afterlife and it shows a complex art and science of mummification. The painted mummy case shows how the sculptor wanted the person to see the life this person portrayed. The hieroglyphics inscriptions and painted scenes identify this mummy as a Paankhenamun, a doorkeeper in the temple of the god Amun. Therefore, The central scene shows the eagle-headed god Horus presenting Paankhenamun to Osiris, ruler of the afterlife.

Thus, the art and architecture of Ancient Egypt stemmed directly from their religion. Egyptian theology, with its deified pharaohs and strange animal-headed gods, was complicated, but the most important belief was that survival after death depended upon the preservation of the body. This belief would influence the architectural design of the tomb, where the corpse was ultimately sealed (Silverman:142, 1997). Immortality was only for privileged royal and priestly beings (Stierlin:54, 1983).This implies that their tombs would be somewhat prestigious and not just and ordinary burial site. At the day of resurrection the Ka or soul would re-enter the dead body; this meant that it must be there, intact, ready for that moment.

There is a belief that the gods lived on mountains thereby bringing the worshippers closer to heaven. Back then, only powerful priests were allowed to go inside the ziggurats. The most famous pyramids are found in Egypt, there are also known as the great pyramids. There were constructed with hard stone, glazed with limestone. This was a time on reflection of the old Kingdom in Egypt (2686-2181 B.C.E) on their political, and social stability.

In Tutankhamun’s tomb the canoptic jars were discovered in a shrine that was found in the treasury room of the tomb. Source B is useful is when understanding the mummification process. Ancient Egyptian burial rituals and customs have evolved over time as source C depicts. Source C is relief illustrating the evol... ... middle of paper ... ...ts the roles of the gods in the death of a pharaoh. Along the journey to the underworld the deceased’s spirit would have to argue their case with gods, strange creatures and gatekeepers in order to reach Osiris and the Hall of Final Judgment, where they would plead their case to be allowed to enter the afterlife.

Today, Egypt is known as a land of beauty and mystery due to the vast remains of numerous temples, majestic pyramids and divine works of art. Due to the harsh and arid condition of Egypt, that allowed preservation, many funerary remains have succeeded to modern times leaving many to interpret the rich Egyptian culture. These remains have emphasised the importance of religion and reinforced the beliefs of an afterlife following their deaths. Pyramids and tombs illustrate the importance of the pharaoh in Egyptian society and how they were perceived. Archaeological evidence of funerary customs show that religion was an integral part of Egyptian culture.

Ancient Egyptians were very religious people with various beliefs and gods. Ancient Egypt consisted of the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. Not only is Ancient Egypt known for their outstanding architecture in pyramids, but also, their astonishing understanding of the human body. Mummification began around c.3500 BCE and by the Old Kingdom it had become a standard practice. Everything Egyptians did, including mummification had to do with their religious beliefs.

In order to achieve longevity of life and prosperous crop, they created art as homage to their God. One particular pharaoh, Amenhotep IV, is very interested in a monotheistic religion. He changes his name to Akhenaten, meaning “on the behalf of Aten”. Much of what we think of Egyptian art came from his Amarna period. The most common theme in their sculpture is worshipping.

The Stela fragment of Mut and Amun is located in the Albany Institute of History and Art in their Ancient Egypt gallery. The term stela means, “a stone slab placed vertically and decorated with inscriptions or reliefs. Used as a grave marker or commemorative monument” (Stokstad & Cothren, 2014). Steles such as this one were set up in an individuals’ temple by worshippers hoping that their connection to the gods would last for all time. “If the typical Egyptian stela looks suspiciously like a traditional tombstone, the reason is because traditional tombstones are a modern rendition of these ancient markers.

This myth, although mostly incomplete, was central to the Egyptian religion. It explained the importance of the Pharaoh, Ma’at, and establishes the Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife and magic. Egyptian mythology evolved and grew, like many other mythologies in other civilizations. The mythology, like every religion, was important to the Egyptian way of life. It was a guide that explained how to live their lives and to survive their death.

These two belief systems shared many characteristics, such as the importance of light and the presence of a central religious leader, but there were also several key differences in the development and worship practices of Atenism and early Judaism. For centuries, the ancient Egyptians worshipped a vast host of deities who they claimed controlled all natural phenomena and the underworld (Edgar et al. pg 22). The polytheistic religion of the Egyptians was incorporated into many of the most famous examples of Egyptian art and architecture. For instance, the mysterious deities of the Egyptians were immortalized in hieroglyphic drawings, and the Egyptians’ belief in an afterlife led them to construct some of the most recognizable monuments in the world.