Egyptian Afterlife

No other ancient civilization is as closely associated with its burial rites as that of Egyptian. Dated as early as 4000 BCE to 30 CE, Egyptian mortuary rituals have evolved over the years, but the perpetual emphasis on the eternal afterlife in the coveted destination that all ancient Egyptians strived to reach: The Field of Reeds, the Egyptian paradise, did not change. Many theories have argued that the ancient Egyptians were obsessed with death, whereas in fact it displayed an obsession with life and its continuation. This paper seeks to justify the Egyptian perception of afterlife as an eternal mirror image of one's life on earth; Egyptian’s earthly life was not, however, merely a prologue to something greater after death but was a part of the entire remarkable journey as a whole. The ancient Egyptian believed the deceased should be …show more content…
According to Herodotus, “The best and most expensive kind (tomb) is said to represent Osiris, the next best (tomb) is somewhat inferior and cheaper, while the third is cheapest of all” (Nardo, 110). For the middle class, even with no silver or gold, the deceased would still be cast in a modestly constructed burial chamber with body preserved and tomb equipped with useful items from everyday life, suggesting Egyptian believed one still live in a very practical approach in the afterlife. On the other hand, less wealthy commoners, even with the belief of proper burial and acquire the skills of building massive pyramids, they were generally mummified in “cheaper” ways or by the arid natural environment in massive desert burial sites, some with simple offerings. While women in Egypt have had autonomy in some domains during ancient Egypt, tombs constructed for their individual use were very