MOR 301 Lesson 3.1 Ancient Egyptians

Book of the Dead

This is a collection of magic spells and formulas that was illustrated and written, usually on papyrus. Began to appear in Egyptian tombs around 1600 BC. Text was intended to spoken by the deceased during their journey into the underworld. Enabled the deceased to overcome obstacles in the afterlife. It did this by teaching passwords that allowed the deceased to turn into mythical creatures to navigate around hazards, while granting the help and protection of the gods, and proclaiming the deceased's identity with the gods.

Canopic Jars

Where internal organs were placed for disposition. They were placed near or under the sarcophagus and other objects were placed near the pharaoh.

Dissector a.k.a. Anatomist

Would make the initial incision into the left flank of the deceased to begin the embalming process.

Burial Receptacles. Earliest receptacles were the following

- Mats and skins - Reeds - Wooden and earthenware baskets

List the 6 elements the Ancient Egyptians believed a person was made up of

1. Ba - bird in the stomach - personality 2. Ka - the guardian angel - soul/spirit 3. Body 4. Yakhu a.k.a. Akh - immortality 5. Name 6. Shadow

Menat

A protective amulet invoking the divine favor. It was usually own on a string of beads at the back of the neck, probably as a counterpoise to items of jewelry worn in front.

Natron

A salt found in dry lake beds of the desert and used by early Egyptians in preparation of bodies. Bodies immersed in the product (believed to be composed of chloride, carbonate, and sulfate of sodium and nitrate of potassium and sodium) were dehydrated thus preventing decay.

Lotus

A symbol of birth and dawn; it was thought to have been the cradle of the sun on the first morning of creation, rising from the primeval waters. Lotus was a common architectural motif, particularly used on capitals.

Ankh

A symbol of life, resembling a looped cross. It was later adapted by Coptic Christians as their cross. Widely used as an amulet.

Mortuary Priest

Called the "servant of the ka". This was a person who was appointed to bring daily offerings to a tomb.

Ba

Can be best described as someone's personality. Like a person's body, each ba was an individual

Opening of the Mouth

Ceremony was performed at the funeral to restore the senses of the decease. The ceremony was done by touching an adze to the mouth of a mummy or statue of the deceased, it was believed to restore the senses in preparation for the afterlife.

Kerheb

Chief Embalmer/Funeral director was from priestly lines, probably only actually conducted funeral of Pharaoh or Pharaoh's family, though he would oversee all work in the Necropolis.

What was Kerheb's function in the Ancient Egyptian Embalming Process

Chief Priest would oversee the work of everyone in the Necropolis

Necropolis

City of the dead; in Egypt these walled cities located just outside the city proper contained places of burial, mortuary temples, and residences of mortuary workers.

Anthropoidal

Coffins that were man-shaped, that is they were not rectangular, but resembled the person they were made for.

Designer a.k.a. Painter

Constructed burial receptacles, he would spend much time on pharaoh's coffin.

Physician a.k.a. Priest

Coordinated with the family and was in charge of funeralization including removals, processions, and determining the price of the funeral. The priest was the only person to leave the Necropolis.

Scarab

Dung-rolling beetle was, to the ancient Egyptians, a symbol of regeneration and spontaneous creation, as it seemed to emerge from nowhere; in fact, it came from eggs previously laid in the sand. Seals and amulets in scarab form were very common and were thought to possess magic powers.

Sarcophagus

Early Egyptians cut massive coffins from a single mass of stone to protect from grave robbers. Same term is applied today to massive copper and bronze caskets. Derivation of term is from Greek, sarco from flesh and phagus for eaters because when opened, bodies inside were found to be in a state of decay.

Seth (Set)

Early in Egyptian history, Seth is spoken in terms of reverence as the god of wind and storms. He was even known as the Lord of Upper Egypt. Later he became the god of evil.

Anubis

Egyptian god of embalming said to be of human form with the head of a jackal.

Osiris

Egyptian god of the underworld and judge of the dead.

Hieroglyph

Egyptian picture of language. From the Greek word meaning "Sacred Carving". The symbols are individual pictures that do not join together.

Horus

Falcon headed god. Horus was so important to the state religion that Pharaohs were considered his human manifestation and even took on the name Horus.

Herodotus

Father of History. Wrote a book called "History", that contained much information about early civilizations; and the Rosetta Stone which was found in 1799. Stone contained Egyptian hieroglyphics as well as Greek translation. Historians used the Greek to decipher the hieroglyphics.

Mummy

From the Persian word; "moumiya". A preserved corpse by either natural or artificial means. Mummification involved thoroughly drying the body to remove the source of decay.

Ra

From very early times Ra was a sun god. He took on many of the attributes and even the names of other gods as Egyptian myths evolved. He is often pictured as a hawk or as a hawk headed man with a solar disk encircled by a uraeus on the his hand. He is often pictured wearing the double crown of upper and lower Egypt.

Isis

Isis was a great enchantress, the goddess of magic. She is often represented as a woman wearing on her head the hieroglyphic symbol of her name, which represents a throne or seat.

Canopic jars

Jars made of alabaster, limestone, basalt, clay and other materials used by the early Egyptians to store viscera of the deceased

Ka

Ka is usually translated as "double", it represents a person's double. It is what we would call a spirit or a soul.

Slaves

Performed much of the embalming and other work for common Egyptian, that is, those Egyptians who were not of high estate.

Surgeon a.k.a. Embalmer

Performed the functions of preserving the body of royalty and oversee the preservation of all classes of deceased

List the primary reason for Egyptian Embalming

Religion

Pyramids

Served as burial tombs for Pharaoh

Trinity of the Cult of Osiris

Osiris, Isis, Horus

Amulet

A charm, often in the form of hieroglyphs, gods or sacred animals; made of precious stones or faience. They were worn like jewelry during life, and were included within the mummy wrappings for the afterlife.

Circle of necessity

Ancient Egyptian belief that the soul of the deceased would make a 3000 year journey and return to the body. Once reunited the whole man would live with the gods. This belief created the need for embalming.

Anthropoid

Human shaped; some early coffins were described as anthropoid shaped.

What was the Dissector's function in the Ancient Egyptian embalming process

Made the initial incision into the left flank to begin the embalming process.

Pagan

One who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods; heathen; an irreligious or hedonistic person, in ancient Rome, a follower of a polytheistic religion.

Apothecary

The Pharmacist, this person would make the spices and anointments and natron to be added to the body.

Give the reason for the success of the Egyptian Embalmers

The hot, dry climate gave Egyptians a great advantage when it comes to embalming to prevent decomposition

Scribe

The lawyer, this person would simply make the mark on the body to guide the dissector in where to make the incision.

Two symbols of fertility

The sun and the nile river