What Was the Purpose of Mummification?

671 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essay on Egyptian mummification

Mummys, they are something that you would see going trick-or-treating on Halloween night. Or a good topic for a scary story at a sleepover. But have you ever wondered what the history is behind them? What was mummifying? How did they mummify people? Why did they mummify people? What was the purpose of mummification? Let’s go back to Ancient Egypt to see what mummification really was.

Imagine walking through the “red land” in Egypt. Desert as far as the can see, surrounded by the hot, dry, humid air. Sand piled higher than the empire state building. As you’re walking, the sun beats down on you. Then you see it. A beautiful temple that looks out of place in this hot lonely desert. Curiosity takes control over you as you find yourself walking toward the glorious sight. You walk through the huge opening. Towering above your head is hieroglyphics, the language of Ancient Egyptians. A tiny passage catches your eye. You walk through cautiously and you see a coffin. Next to the coffin is treasures like, jewelry and gold. Inside that coffin is a mummy.
5,000 years ago, if you walked into a tomb that is what you would see. Mummies contain barely more than bones, hair and skin. The mummies were preserved in the Ancient upper Egypt. In the hot lower Egypt all mummies have perished due to the hot and dry weather conditions. Not everyone was mummified. The way of mummifying changed over the course of time. It depended on the status of the dead. For example, if you were the pharaoh, you would definitely be mummified. But if you were a slave, the chances of being mummified were very slim ("An Overview of Mummification in Ancient Egypt.”, 2013). A complete mummification process were applied to people who could afford the ...

... middle of paper ...

...e ("Pitt Rivers Museum - Animals and Belief – Ancient Egypt.", 2013).

Mummification was a way of the Ancient Egyptian culture. It was one of the most important stages of a human to get to the Egyptian afterlife. It was looked forward to. To Ancient Egyptians, death was a gift.

Works Cited

"An Overview of Mummification in Ancient Egypt." An Overview of Mummification in Ancient Egypt. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013.

"Beit El-Wali Cast." Beit El-Wali Cast. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.

Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2013.
"Mummification." Mummification. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.

"Pitt Rivers Museum - Animals and Belief – Ancient Egypt." Pitt Rivers Museum - Animals and Belief – Ancient Egypt. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.

"Why Ancient Egyptians Believed Mummifying Their Dead Necessary? - Curiosity."Curiosity. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.

Show More
Related

  • Mummy Case of Paankhenamun

    1073 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Mummy Case of Paankhenamun has great significant in that it provides us with very fundamental evidence from ancient history. It does not only exhibit a complex form of art, but it also demonstrates the religious practices of ancient Egyptians in association with their beliefs in life after death, as well as their great fascination with immortality. It not only teaches us about the great science of mummification, but it also provides us all with the incredible opportunity to learn about the life of an ancient person.

    Read More

  • Burial Practices of Ancient Egypt

    1333 Words  | 3 Pages

    The grandeur with which Egyptians regarded their funerary customs does not come without explanation. They delighted in tying the occurrences of the natural world with supernatural dogma, and their burial practices exemplified this deluge of religion. A special deity was even attributed to cemeteries and embalmers: Anubis (Fiero, 46). Due to this deep sense of religion, a fixation with the afterlife developed within their culture. The Egyptian afterlife, however, is not synonymous of heave, but, rather, of The Field of Reeds, a continuation of one’s life in Egypt meant “to secure and perpetuate in the afterlife the ‘good life’ enjoyed on earth” (Mark 1; “Life in Ancient Egypt” 1). The pursuit of this sacred rest-place prompted the arousal of intricate Egyptian funeral rituals.

    Read More

  • Felines in Egypt

    1184 Words  | 3 Pages

    Springer, Ilene. "The Cat in Ancient Egypt." Tour Egypt. Tour Egypt, 2010. Web. 20 Feb

    Read More

  • Kemet

    568 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mummification is required in the kemetic religion because of the belief in the afterlife. They felt the need to preserve the body by mummifying the dead to keep the body in tact and the spirit safe until the afterlife. Kemites thought that after the person died, their spirit would return to the body come judgment day and the afterlife so the body had to be in great condition so they could use the body again.

    Read More

  • King Tut

    1993 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Can see anything ?'; “Yes,'; Carter replied, “wonderful things.'; Such were the words of Howard Carter on February 17, 1923 as the archaeologist peered into the 3500 year old darkness of Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s burial chamber and forever altered the scope of man’s imagination. Carter and his team of the world’s most eminent archaeological experts uncovered what are undoubtedly among the greatest riches of this or any known time. The name Tutankhamen, in reality a relatively insignificant young king, has become legendary and has furthermore assumed a position in our vocabulary and cultural ethos rivaled by few other figures of ancient history. Of the events which directly followed that momentous day in 1923, we are utterly baffled. By 1929, twenty-two people who had been either directly or indirectly involved in the exhumation of Tut and his treasures were dead, in most cases, of undiagnosable causes. Was this just a flook or was it the curse of King Tutankhamen.

    Read More

  • Egyptian Mummification: It’s History, Purpose, and Process

    2250 Words  | 5 Pages

    The history and tradition of Egypt is one of the most greatly studied and admired of all past world civilizations. The lure of the pyramids and the specter of the sphinx have led many archeologists to dedicate his/her life to unraveling the mysteries of ancient Egyptian culture. Arguably, the most captivating aspect of Egypt’s past is that of mummification. Why did the Egyptians mummify their dead? What beliefs did the Egyptians have regarding the after life? What portion of the Egyptian civilization was mummified? What was the Book of the Dead? This is a mere sampling of the questions that come to my mind when I think of ancient Egyptian culture. I hope to lay forth answers to these questions and many more in the following pages dedicated to the history and purpose behind Egyptian mummification.

    Read More

  • The Egyptian Process of Mummification

    900 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Egyptian Process of Mummification In ancient Egyptian society, preserving a body after death was an important process necessary for entrance into an immortal existence. According to Egyptian belief, the soul did not die. The soul would take the form of a bird, usually a falcon, and fly around in the world of the living returning later its dead body. The importance of preserving the body revolved around the idea that the roaming soul would be able to recognize the right body and return to it.

    Read More

  • Nebamun Hunting in the Marshes

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    Teeter, E. Egyptian Art. Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies, Vol. 20, No. 1 Ancient Art at The Art Institute of Chicago (1994), pp. 14-31

    Read More

  • What is the Importance of Animals and Symbolism in Ancient Egyptian Art?

    2927 Words  | 6 Pages

    The ancient Egyptians are known for many of the incredible aspects of their culture and everything they have produced. Some of the well known ancient Egyptian relics are the ones like the ancient pyramids, the Great Sphinx of Giza, mummies, and their many forms of art. Ancient Egyptian art is one of the most recognized styles of art. The most commonly known types of ancient Egyptian art are types like paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. Not only is Egyptian art beautiful, but it carries a huge deal of value and significance with it. A great portion of the time, the art has some kind of religious meaning to it. Consequently it is very difficult to discuss the art itself without delving into the various gods and goddesses presented in it. Something that particularly struck me about ancient Egyptian art was their proneness to use animals in their art. Not only do they use the animal’s full figure, but they also put individual parts on human bodies. This intrigued me because not many cultures have art that embrace animals to this extent. I will be exploring why the ancient Egyptians depict animals in their art repeatedly, and considering what they meant to them.

    Read More

  • The Roles Of Amenhotep III By Lachlan Cash

    842 Words  | 2 Pages

    W. Raymond Johnson, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, (1996), pp. 65-82, Date viewed 19th may, http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3822115.pdf?&acceptTC=true&jpdConfirm=true

    Read More

  • Mummification and Religion in Ancient Egypt

    1910 Words  | 4 Pages

    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. They followed rituals to please the gods and therefore received something in exchange. Moreover, they believed that mummifying a body was preparing a person for their afterlife. The process of mummification changed depending on the person’s socioeconomic status.

    Read More

  • The Coffin Of Tentkhonsu

    769 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Egyptians during this period took ample time and detail on the mummification process to ensure a successful transition from the netherworld to rebirth. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, 1025-980 B.C., it’s a depiction of how the Egyptians valued and honored their elite members of society, as well as their gods. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, itself dates back to the III intermediate period in Egyptian culture. The Egyptian believe was to join Osiris, whom was believed to have ascended to Netherworld and accomplished eternal life.

    Read More

  • Essay On Egyptian Burial Practices

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ancient Egyptian burial rituals and customs have evolved over time as source C depicts. Source C is relief illustrating the evol...

    Read More

  • Egyptian View of the Afterlife

    1690 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is clear that tombs and burial rituals were a key element in the Egyptian society and their way of life as it ties into almost all things they did on a daily basis. Whatever a person’s status was when they were alive followed them into the afterlife. Food and luxury goods were buried with a person so that they could have it in the afterlife. The tombs became a person’s new house after they died. Therefore, making it as nice as possible was really important. Art work and clay models were added to a person’s tomb as material goods needed for the afterlife. They were also seen as decorations that kept the tombs looking nice. Throughout the years, Egyptian artworks on the inner parts of the tombs and on the coffins show a development in the Egyptian customs. Each new development was created to better preserve the bodies and comfort of the dead.

    Read More

  • Ancient Egyptian Medicine: A Comparison of Egyptian and Modern Day Medicine and Reasoning for Continued Research of Ancient Egyptian Medical Practices

    1941 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... learning about ancient medical practices in Egypt, therefore I have decided to continue research and expand my paper into a twenty page research paper for my final research paper at the end of the semester. In my next portion of my ten page paper I will explore the other topics stated in my thesis. My final paper will merely be a continuation of the topics that I have written about in this paper. I will explore and go into depth with the topics of human embalmment and its significance to the work of modern medicine today. I would also like to compare modern day embalmment for funerals with embalmment rituals used in Ancient Egypt. Another primary focus for the next installment of this paper will be a detailed argument of why it would be a wonderful and scientifically beneficial idea to fund and continue research of medical practices in Ancient Egypt.

    Read More

More about What Was the Purpose of Mummification?

Open Document