Knowra Ancient Egyptian funerary practices Ancient Egyptian funerary practices Ancient Egyptian funerary practices were rites and customs for preparing the dead, burying them, and sustaining their existence after death. They changed over time and varied by social status and region.
Mummification : The deliberate preservation of a corpse through drying, treatment, and wrapping. Preserving the body helped maintain a lasting home for the deceased’s identity.
Ancient Egyptian religion : The religious beliefs and practices of ancient Egypt, centered on a diverse pantheon and ritual relationship with the divine. Funerary rites drew on this religious system’s gods, rituals, and ideas of continued existence.
Predynastic Egypt : The period of Egyptian history before the formation of the unified dynastic state, ending around 3100 BCE. Predynastic graves show early customs of placing bodies and goods in desert burials.
Valley of the Kings : A royal burial ground near Thebes used chiefly during Egypt’s New Kingdom. Its rock-cut tombs reveal royal burial architecture and funerary decoration.
Mortuary temple : A temple dedicated to the cult and ongoing offerings of a deceased ruler. These temples sustained royal funerary cults after burial and supported their priesthoods.
Opening of the Mouth : An ancient Egyptian ritual intended to restore a deceased person’s senses and ability to receive offerings. This ceremony ritually enabled the dead to breathe, speak, and eat again.
Duat : The realm of the dead in ancient Egyptian religion, traversed by the deceased and the sun god. The deceased was believed to face a perilous journey through this underworld.
Old Kingdom : A period of ancient Egyptian history, approximately 2686–2181 BCE, known for pyramid building and centralized kingship. Royal pyramid complexes developed elaborate mortuary rituals and priestly institutions.
Tomb of Tutankhamun : The largely intact tomb of the New Kingdom pharaoh Tutankhamun, discovered in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings. Its preserved burial assemblage documents the objects provided for a royal afterlife.
Egyptian funerary art : Images and objects made for ancient Egyptian tombs and funerary rites. Tomb paintings, statues, and equipment served ritual purposes as well as remembrance.
Show all 26