Egypt Afterlife Beliefs

All cultures and religions have many different ways to take care for the dead to show respect. Some cultures cremate their dead while others might bury their dead. Some cultures may show respect for the dead by having a tombstone or a statue for them to make sure that person cannot be forgotten. The idea of keeping the memory of someone that had died alive started in Egypt thousands of years ago. In ancient Egypt there were tombs and statues that were created so their Pharaoh will never be forgotten and is safe from the outside world. Ancient Egyptian people not only made larger than life tombs for their Pharaohs, they filled those tombs with items that they believed the people that had died would need in the afterlife. Many cultures now and …show more content…
In Ancient Egyptian times people would paint images on the walls of the tomb of people or items the dead will need in the afterlife, as well as images of where they will need to go to get to “the land of two fields.” This is shown in various tombs including the tomb of Rekhmire. On the arch there is writing similar to the idea of hieroglyphics in Egyptian art pieces, but the writing on the arch is just a list of all the people that are buried in that area. The people who are buried in that area do not believe in needing a map to the heavens due to the fact, that all they need is a passageway to get there. There is no need for a map because there is no journey. The urn on top of the arch shows a difference in how the afterlife is seen as well. This is different from ancient Egyptian beliefs due to the urn being a symbol of the soul, and the draping is a symbol of grief. This is unlike Egyptians because they do not use symbols of grief throughout the images or statues created for the deceased. This is most likely due to the fact that Egyptians believe when you die you pass on to the afterlife and that you are in a good place. Judaism also believes in the afterlife, but dying is not depicted similarly. Death in Ancient Egypt was always seen as just moving on to another part of your life instead of something you