Afterlife

Anna Sloan 6-6   1-13-12    Afterlife In ancient Egypt, the Egyptians had a lot of beliefs and rituals when a person dies. The Egyptians believed that there are two gods who decided if the dead lives a happy afterlife or stayed with them in the underworld. They also had the ritual of placing special items in the tomb. The Egyptians believed there was a lengthy process to gain entrance into the afterlife. Finally, the living prepares the dead to make him presentable to the gods in a process called mummification. The Egyptians had two underworld gods: Osiris and Anubis. Osiris was the god who decides if you go to the afterlife or stay in the underworld, and Anubis weighs the soul. Anubis has the head of a jackal and the body of a human. These gods were very important to the Egyptian’s life. The Egyptians placed great significance on items buried in the tomb. For ordinary citizens, priests put paintings that told of their past, and tools they needed for the afterlife. **They believed that the jobs they had during their life would be the same in the afterlife, but better. //For Pharaoh’s tomb, the most powerful priests murdered slaves so they could work for Pharaoh. Animals and family members were also killed and placed in the tomb so Pharaoh could always be with loved ones.//** Gold and other treasures are added as offerings to the gods. No matter citizen or ruler, items in the tomb were needed to make sure the afterlife was successful. To enter the afterlife required a lengthy process. The living priests recited a spell to call Osiris. Osiris would take the dead to the underworld where the dead took a test to determine if they were worthy of a happy afterlife. Anubis weighed the soul of the dead to measure the amount of sin in their soul. The dead were also put on trial. The dead must convince the 42 gods of afterlife that they deserved a joyful afterlife. The underworld was the place that decided your path in the afterlife. Mummification was an important ritual in the Egyptian’s life. First, priests would remove the organs using special tools. Salt was poured over the body. The living poured salt over the dead. The body was covered for 40 days so it would decay properly. If it did not decay properly, the Egyptians believed that the spirit would die, so the body would never reach the afterlife. After the 40 days, the body was wrapped in cloth. Next, priests dressed the wrapped body in fancy clothes, ornate headpieces, and applied make up. Elaborate formal dress indicated that the dead wanted very much to be accepted into the afterlife. Finally, the body was placed in the tomb along with the special items needed for afterlife. Without mummification, the dead would never achieve a happy afterlife. The Egyptians placed great importance on reaching the afterlife. Every step was important to make sure that the dead left the underworld. It was the job of both the dead and the living to make sure that the dead reached the afterlife. The dead must prove to the gods they were worthy of a happy afterlife and the living must prepare the body and tomb correctly for the dead. The rituals and beliefs of the Egyptians for the dead was important in their life.