Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Locked Topic
Lesson 5; Mummification- Preparation begins!
Topic Started: Mar 17 2005, 12:04 PM (92 Views)
Dark Mistress
HoM Professor/DE Leader
Professors
Lesson 5

Posted Image

Mummification was important in preparation for the After-life. Due to the graphic nature of mummification, parts have been left out that I felt were too graphic for this site.

Today we will be studying the Egyptian art of mummification. Mummification was an important step to ensuring one’s after-life in ancient Egypt. One must be preserved because they believed it was the home of the soul and spirit. If the body was destroyed, the spirit might be lost. The idea of spirit was complex involving really three spirits ka, ba , akh.

Ka- A “double” of the person would remain in the tomb and needed the offerings and objects placed there.
Ba- “soul” was free to fly out of the tomb and return to it.
Akh- translated as “spirit” which had to travel throughout the underworld for the final jugdement and entrance into the after-life.

The mummification process took 70 days. Special priest worked as embalmers. Beyond knowing correct rituals and prayers to be preformed at various stages, the priest also needed a detailed knowledge of anatomy.

The process starts with removing all organs except the heart. The heart remained in place so that it may testify on behalf of the deceased on jugdement day. (See lesson 6 for details). A scarab or Amulet was put over the heart to insure a safe journey through the netherworld.

The vital organs (lungs, stomach, intestines, and liver) were then placed in canopic jars. The jars came in sets of four, each one representing the four sons of Horus, which were assigned the duty of protecting the contents of each jar. Due to grave robbers the canopic jars were no longer put on each of the four corners of the tomb but were placed with the deceased.

The brain was removed with a long slightly hooked instrument, but most of the time they did not bother with it. The deceased was then placed under mounds of natron salt to help preserve it. Egyptians used resins, cassia, cedar oil, myrrh, and palm wine as a drying agent and antimicrobal during this process.

After drying was complete, hundreds of yards of linen were used to wrap the body. Amulets were placed among the wrapping and spells were written on strips of linen and placed on the mummy. At several stages the linens were covered with warm resin. The last stage the priests wrapped the mummy with a final cloth or shroud in place. The mummy was then complete.

Posted Image


Let’s just briefly discuss the history of the canopic jars. The 4 jars represented Imsety, Hapy, Duamutef, Kebehsenuef, the four brothers of Horus. These brothers were each associated with the various points on the compass.

Imsety-South
Hapy- North
Duamutef-East
Kebehsenuef- West

Early depictions of the brothers have Imsety and Hapy wearing red crowns of Lower Egypt, Duamutef and Kebehsenuef were white crowns of Southern Egypt. In the 18th and 19th dynasties the heads were changed again, and these are the ones seen most frequently in documentaries and movies.

Imesty – remained as a human figure
Hapy- took on an Ape appearance
Duamutef- form of a jackal
Kebehsenuef- form of a falcon.

To fully understand the after-life of ancient Egypt, use needed to understand the preparation before hand. Tombs of the wealthy were all ready started along before their time of death. Since this stage of life was so important to them, they wanted to be prepared ahead of time.

Our final lesson will discuss the importance of the after-life to the Egyptians. The books and spells that were used, and why it was so important to them.

Assignment:
Questions are worth 3 pts each, please use complete sentences and put in your own words.

1. Mummification was an important step to ensure what?
2. What did the Egyptians believe the body to be?
3. If they body was destroyed what would happen?
4. Define Ka, Ba, Akh.
5. How long did the mummification process take?
6. What things did the priests have to know in order to perform the mummification process properly?
7. Vital organs were placed in what? Who did each individual jar represent? What was their purpose?
8. What ingredients were used in the drying process?
9. How much linen was used and what was placed among the wrappings for protection?

references: www.touregypt.net/featurestories. http://www.mos.org/guest/afterlife.php
http://www.si.edu/resourc/faq/nmnh/mummies.htm

:albus:
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Cottonmouth
Graduated
Cottonmouth
Sytherin

[size=7]Well done! You recieve 26 points for your house.[/size]
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Lexi
Member Avatar
Headmistress/Gryffindor Head of House
Head
Elsbeth
Gryffindor

[size=7]Excellent work as always! I liked the picture. 27 pts to Gryffindor and 2 bonus points for the picture.[/size]

[size=7]29 points total![/size]
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Ellen Nelle
3rd Year
Ellen Nelle
Ravenclaw

[size=7]Nice work! 25pts to Ravenclaw![/size]
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Samantha_Malfoy
Graduated
samantha malfoy
slytherin


[size=7]Excellent! 27pts to Slytherin![/size]
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
bookworm92
Member Avatar
S.A.P.E.W./RA
[size=7]Nice Job! Full Marks to Ravenclaw! 27pts.[/size]
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · ARCHIVE · Next Topic »
Locked Topic