Egyptian burial ceremonies included magic spells, physical ceremonies, and leaving food for the dead person. These ceremonies were thought to help guide spirits, and help them make it to the final judgment.
The Egyptians believed that spells helped the spirit of the dead person get through the obstacles of the Netherworld and helped them pass through the final judgment of the gods. The Egyptians wrote personal spells which helped guide the spirit with maps of obstacles and inhabitants of the Netherworld to make it to the final judgment. These spells were written especially for the dead person, with his or her name written instead of pronouns.
Physical ceremonies helped prepare the spirit for the journey. The opening of the mouth ritual released the spirit through the dead person's mouth. Another was leaving food and favorite things for the journey. There was also the resurrecting ceremony when the ba is delivered to the Netherworld to pass or fail final judgment and reunite with their ka.
If a person was believed to be an enemy to the gods, they were believed to have no hope of resurrection and to be beheaded, chopped into pieces, cooked, and then roasted until nothing was left.
Of course, the good people were safe from this treatment, unless they did something that really angered the gods.
I think that these ceremonies were very strange. But, it makes sense. What about you?
My information came from:
My information came from:
Stoeffler, Matt
http://www.si.umich.edu/CHICO/mummy/Afterlife/Afterworld/AWorld.html
Dec 11, 2000
