Funerary Rituals in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife in the form of a heavenly Field of Reeds (A'aru) that exactly mirrored their lives, albeit in a more perfect, immortal form.  This naturally makes funerary practices one of the most important, if not the most important, rituals in Ancient Egypt. The aim here was to preserve the different aspects of the deceased's life so that they may later relive it in peace after waking up from their temporary slumber. These funerals warranted the survival of the spirit in the Netherworld and so the mummification of the body was a central part in these rituals. For the body (khet) is the main vessel of the soul (Ka and Ba). 

The family of the deceased had one of three options for the mummification and making of the coffin. This was a quality for money deal as families would strive for the second best or best option to ensure the safe journey for the deceased and avoid getting haunted by their trapped ghost. Funerary Processions were a given even for the poorest families. Once the mummification was complete, the mummy was carried in an elaborate procession to the tomb of the deceased initiating the many practices of the dramatic funeral:

Opening of the Mouth

In this ritual the mummy was raised upright. The priest touched the mouth of the mummy with a chisel, the basic purpose was to give the deceased the ability to receive offerings supporting the "Ka"(spouse). This was also thought to make the deceased able to use his mouth, eyes, ears and nose and helping him receive food to sustain his ka and Ba (spirit).

   Fragment of a tomb relief depicting the meat-offering of the "opening of the mouth ceremony". Late 18th Dynasty. Currently on display at The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London.
Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg), CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The offering rituals

This ritual make the deceased able to receive food for eternity. It took place right after opening the mouth ritual. This ritual included several other rituals, libations, purification, burning incense. The "Htp-di-nsw" formula was pronounced to always ensures the survival of the deceased.

The burial

After the body was buried with the funerary goods, the entrance of the burial chamber was sealed. Cattle were sacrificed and the best parts of it were offered to the deceased, the other parts for the relatives and mourners.

The mourners (Djerty Wrt)

As we know after death the deceased is automatically entitled as Osiris, the two women (mourners) play the role of Isis and Nephthys as the wife of the deceased and his sister. Their ritual was written in the pyramid texts "they beat their flesh for you, they Smit their hands for you, they dishevel their hair for you."

The priests

Ka priests were knows as water pourers, since they pour water in the entrance of the tomb to the refreshment of the deceased. The ka priest usually was the eldest son of the deceased.

Journey to the afterlife

As for the soul of the deceased it begins a new journey in the Netherworld. God Anubis leads the soul from the entrance of the tomb to the judgement hall (mààt). Then the soul went where Osiris, Anubis and Thot stood. Thot recites the negative confessions that the deceased didn't commit to the audience if the forty two gods. Then Anubis weights the heart of the deceased. If the heart isn't lighter than the white feather, it gets eaten by a monster and the deceased's soul would cease to exist. If the heart is lighter than the white feather, it means that the deceased was justified. The just soul is then allowed to pass on to paradise, to dwell in the realm of Osiris, in which the deceased soul travelled with "Re"  on his daily journey.


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