Egyptian Religion
Ra
Ra, the sun god, was know to be one of Egypt's greatest gods. He was thought to the Egyptians, as the god that died and sailed across the underworld only leaving the moon to light the world. The boat that he sailed on, went through 12 doors. This is the Egyptians explanation of the 12 hours in a day. After Ra's trip to the underworld and death, he was said to have been born again at dawn the next day.
The picture to the left represents Ra. It usually consisted of the head of a falcon and a sun disk.
The picture to the left represents Ra. It usually consisted of the head of a falcon and a sun disk.
Osiris
This picture represents Osiris or the Egyptian god of death. The colors and objects in this symbol, play a major role in what this god stands for. The white represents mummy coverings, the green represents vegetation, the crown is the " white crown of Upper Egypt", the crook was used by shepherds to catch sheep, and the flail was used for threshing when separating grains from their outer husks.
Mummification
There are 2 main steps to the process of mummification. The first being embalming and the second being wrapping.
The Process of Mummification:
Embalming:
1. The body is taken to an ibu otherwise known as, a place of purification, where the body is washed with palm wine and then rinsed with water from the Nile.
2. A cut is made in the left side of the body where many of the internal organs are taken out. The organs are later packaged with natron, which dries them out. The brain is also pulled out through the nose with a hook.
3. The body is stuffed and filled with natron and the organs are saved to be buried with the body.
4. After 40 days the body is washed again with water from the Nile.
5. The organs are wrapped in linen and the body is stuffed with dry materials. Later, the body is covered with good-smelling oils and then wrapped in linen as well.
6. The organs are put into canopic jars and then buried with the body.
Wrapping:
1. First the head and and neck are wrapped and linen. After this, the fingers and toes are wrapped individually.
2. Then, the legs are wrapped separately and the embalmers place amulets on the body, which help with the individual's journey through the afterlife.
3. A priest reads aloud spells that ward off evil spirits so that the individual can make it to the afterlife safely.
4. The arms and legs are tied together and between the arms, a scroll is left with spells from the Book of Dead.
5.The body is wrapped in more linen and glued together with resin.
6.A cloth is wrapped around the body and and a picture of the God Osiris is painted on the cover.
7. A larger cloth is wrapped around the body and it is attached with little strips of linen that go from the top to the bottom and around the middle.
8. A painted piece of wood is placed on top of the mummy and it is lowered into its coffin and then put into another coffin.
9. A funeral is held.
The Process of Mummification:
Embalming:
1. The body is taken to an ibu otherwise known as, a place of purification, where the body is washed with palm wine and then rinsed with water from the Nile.
2. A cut is made in the left side of the body where many of the internal organs are taken out. The organs are later packaged with natron, which dries them out. The brain is also pulled out through the nose with a hook.
3. The body is stuffed and filled with natron and the organs are saved to be buried with the body.
4. After 40 days the body is washed again with water from the Nile.
5. The organs are wrapped in linen and the body is stuffed with dry materials. Later, the body is covered with good-smelling oils and then wrapped in linen as well.
6. The organs are put into canopic jars and then buried with the body.
Wrapping:
1. First the head and and neck are wrapped and linen. After this, the fingers and toes are wrapped individually.
2. Then, the legs are wrapped separately and the embalmers place amulets on the body, which help with the individual's journey through the afterlife.
3. A priest reads aloud spells that ward off evil spirits so that the individual can make it to the afterlife safely.
4. The arms and legs are tied together and between the arms, a scroll is left with spells from the Book of Dead.
5.The body is wrapped in more linen and glued together with resin.
6.A cloth is wrapped around the body and and a picture of the God Osiris is painted on the cover.
7. A larger cloth is wrapped around the body and it is attached with little strips of linen that go from the top to the bottom and around the middle.
8. A painted piece of wood is placed on top of the mummy and it is lowered into its coffin and then put into another coffin.
9. A funeral is held.
Pyramids/Tombs
When a pharaoh died, he was placed inside of a tomb called a pyramid. There his/her body would be protected forever. The first pyramid was built for King Djoser. This pyramid was called a step pyramid, which rose high into the the Egyptian sky. Later people became smarter and started building these tombs underground so that tomb robbers would have a harder time finding them. They were so worried about this happening, that the slaves were killed after building the tombs so that no one would know their locations.