Ancient Egypt Religion- Stephanie Couchman
Religion was extremely important to the ancient Egyptians. Their religion was strongly influenced by tradition and beliefs. The ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died they made a journey to the next world, they assumed that in order to live in the afterlife their body had to be preserved. Their sole purpose was to make it to the afterlife, as it was essential to their religion. Certain rites and rituals were used as the Egyptians supposed that in order for a person's soul to survive in the afterlife it would need to be able to use its senses. In order to become immortal, the Egyptians believed, a dead person had to get to the afterlife. Funeral procedures soon took place to guarantee …show more content…
Many funeral processes took place in order to let the soul transfer into the afterlife. An example of this can be found in the illustration, The Nineteenth Dynasty (n.d.) published by Mahdy (1989) shows a relief with women and girls dancing excitedly to the music while carrying a coffin. The implicit meaning of this source could be to show that the process for the funeral was just as important as the afterlife. The relief shows the Egyptians celebrating and dancing, this could be because they all are excited for the dead to go to the afterlife and live for eternity. In the relief the Egyptians have also been shown with taking special care with the body as well as celebrating. The Egyptians have been represented in this relief as being excited and happy for the dead to make its journey to the afterlife, they also have been represented as being responsible as the relief illustrates men carrying the coffin carefully. Due to the author who used this source being an English Egyptologist, it can be considered reliable. The ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died they made a journey to the next world. They also believed that great care would need to be taken with the body. This is corroborated by Taylor (2010) which states “…Great care was taken to protect the body on the night before the funeral. A vigil was maintained around it as it lay on its bier to guard it from …show more content…
According to Weighing of the Heart (n.d.) which shows a relief of Egyptians performing a judgment ceremony called the "Weighing of the Heart". The implicit meaning of this source could be that the ancient Egyptians considered the heart to be the only important part in the body. It was therefore considered the most important organ in the body. If the heart was considered pure then the dead would be able to go to the afterlife, whereas if the heart was not pure, he or she would cease to exist at all. The “Weighing of the Heart” procedure could make the Egyptians believe that they needed to live a good life or they would no longer exist. This source is corroborated by a certified British Egyptologist, epigrapher and museum curator, TGH (2005) which states “The idea that after death the existence of the deceased would continue in some other realm was not confined to the ancient Egyptians…” The implicit meaning of this line could be to show that the author believed that religion and the afterlife was not just important to the ancient Egyptians but to many other different societies too, although the Egyptians took the religion much more seriously than the other civilisations. Given that the author who used this source is a certified British Egyptologist, epigrapher and museum curator, it can be considered
Religion was extremely important to the ancient Egyptians. Their religion was strongly influenced by tradition and beliefs. The ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died they made a journey to the next world, they assumed that in order to live in the afterlife their body had to be preserved. Their sole purpose was to make it to the afterlife, as it was essential to their religion. Certain rites and rituals were used as the Egyptians supposed that in order for a person's soul to survive in the afterlife it would need to be able to use its senses. In order to become immortal, the Egyptians believed, a dead person had to get to the afterlife. Funeral procedures soon took place to guarantee …show more content…
Many funeral processes took place in order to let the soul transfer into the afterlife. An example of this can be found in the illustration, The Nineteenth Dynasty (n.d.) published by Mahdy (1989) shows a relief with women and girls dancing excitedly to the music while carrying a coffin. The implicit meaning of this source could be to show that the process for the funeral was just as important as the afterlife. The relief shows the Egyptians celebrating and dancing, this could be because they all are excited for the dead to go to the afterlife and live for eternity. In the relief the Egyptians have also been shown with taking special care with the body as well as celebrating. The Egyptians have been represented in this relief as being excited and happy for the dead to make its journey to the afterlife, they also have been represented as being responsible as the relief illustrates men carrying the coffin carefully. Due to the author who used this source being an English Egyptologist, it can be considered reliable. The ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died they made a journey to the next world. They also believed that great care would need to be taken with the body. This is corroborated by Taylor (2010) which states “…Great care was taken to protect the body on the night before the funeral. A vigil was maintained around it as it lay on its bier to guard it from …show more content…
According to Weighing of the Heart (n.d.) which shows a relief of Egyptians performing a judgment ceremony called the "Weighing of the Heart". The implicit meaning of this source could be that the ancient Egyptians considered the heart to be the only important part in the body. It was therefore considered the most important organ in the body. If the heart was considered pure then the dead would be able to go to the afterlife, whereas if the heart was not pure, he or she would cease to exist at all. The “Weighing of the Heart” procedure could make the Egyptians believe that they needed to live a good life or they would no longer exist. This source is corroborated by a certified British Egyptologist, epigrapher and museum curator, TGH (2005) which states “The idea that after death the existence of the deceased would continue in some other realm was not confined to the ancient Egyptians…” The implicit meaning of this line could be to show that the author believed that religion and the afterlife was not just important to the ancient Egyptians but to many other different societies too, although the Egyptians took the religion much more seriously than the other civilisations. Given that the author who used this source is a certified British Egyptologist, epigrapher and museum curator, it can be considered