by Dawn R. Cole

Created on: September 15, 2008   Last Updated: April 06, 2012

The ancient Egyptians viewed death as a transitional stage, more of an interruption than an end to life. They spent most of their time, earnings, and spiritual devotion in preparation for their survival in the next world. Only after death could they reach their full potential and progress to a better life.

• The Religious Aspect of Death 

Every aspect of ancient Egyptian life was governed by their polytheistic religion and, their belief in a rebirth after death, was a determining factor in their funerary practices.

"The Book of the Dead" outlined their major religious beliefs and ideas, with a heavy emphasis on the afterlife. They believed that every person possessed three souls; "ka," ba," and "akh." The body must remain intact after death for these souls to continue functioning properly.

"The Book of the Dead" offered spells and instructions for the deceased's journey into the underworld and the process of achieving eternal life.

• The Body And Spirit Preparation 

Upon the death of an individual, priests would recite prayers and make one last attempt to revive the person. The body was then taken to a special structure known as an "ibu" where it was washed and purified. From there, it would be taken to the embalmer's shop (the "wabet").

The embalmer would begin by making an incision on the left side of the body and extract all of the organs. The brain was removed through the nose, and thrown away. (The Egyptians believed it was useless in the afterlife.)

All of the organs were placed, separately, in canopic jars, made of clay or stone. Each jar had a stopper that represented one of the "Four Sons of Horus." They were protective spirits, and the stoppers were shaped as a baboon, a human, a falcon, and a jackal.

The embalmer would then pack the body with a form of salt, known as natron, and it would remain untouched for 40 days.

On the 41st day, the body's insides would be filled with sawdust, resin, linens, and more natron. The embalmer would then begin meticulously wrapping the body in bandage strips, placing amulets and jewelry in between the layers. Upon completion, the Chief Embalmer would place a "portrait mask" over the deceased's face and finally, it would be placed into a "holding coffin."

The ancient Egyptians believed that the only way to obtain an afterlife was through mummification. It would take 70 days in the "holding coffin" for the
mummification process to be completed. At the end of the process, the body would be transferred

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