Ancient Egypt Religion

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Religion and the theology of the afterlife have highly played a vital role in the lives of the Ancient Egyptians, specifically in their works of art. These works of art accurately depict many of the Egyptians customs and rituals associated with the burial and preparation of the dead for the afterlife. This is represented in various works of art ranging from sculpture, tomb paintings, literature, sarcophaguses, and even pyramids. Ancient Egyptians used religion as their muse to create pieces of art that were used to honor their pharaohs and the many gods they served. Many structures in Egypt like the pyramids of Giza and the Step Pyramid of Djoser were used to house and protect the possessions and mummified bodies of the rulers. There are also…show more content…
Besides this, hieroglyphics were also incorporated in these many works which help depict many different stories and scenes that include compliments and practices of the religious aspects of the Ancient Egyptian’s life. Many symbols have been etched into stone works such as monuments, tombs, steles, and even on statues.1 Statues were also important in relation to religion because they were made to hold the “ka” or the sovereign's spirit, for the afterlife. The sarcophaguses were also a vital piece of art because they housed the mummified body and contained detailed hieroglyphics that complimented the pharaoh in his quest for the afterlife. One piece of Ancient Egyptian art that has shaped the traditions and practices regarding the customary religious rituals were sarcophaguses. In Ancient Egypt sarcophaguses were used to bury the pharaohs or other important figures. These coffins that the royalty were buried in had many significant components to them. However there was a very explicit process in the preparation for the body to be put into the sarcophagus. The specific conduct for carrying out these rituals for the dead started with the mummification of the dead body. This process was a very critical part of the…show more content…
The corpse then underwent a precise ceremony called the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony. "Of all the rituals performed on the mummy, the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony was by far the most important, for it ensured that the deceased would have breath in the next world and could speak and eat again." 4 The ritual involved many people and contained many parts that the priests performed. One of the most essential components to the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony was the closing portion. "The closing act of the ritual was the ceremonial opening of the mouth. A priest took an implement shaped like a miniature adze (a carpenter's tool) and touched it to the mummy's mouth. He then said the last words before placing the mummy in the tomb." 5 These highly intricate ceremonies and traditions were a large part of the Ancient Egyptian's lives. Because the Ancient Egyptians had spent so much time and energy into preserving the dead, this really impacted views regarding this ancient society. It showed how much religion and the theology of the afterlife meant to them. These people had an extremely regimented procedure that articulated a dialogue between them and the dead that they worked so hard to

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