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Funerals
Funerals in ancient Egypt were a complex and intricate affair. The rituals involved in these proceedings were done with precision and intricacy. If something went wrong, then the soul could not be reborn. This was the final step before the soul was reborn and was given eternal life (Ikram, 2003).
Funeral Procession
The first part of the funeral is bringing the body from the embalming tent to the tomb. The body is towed by a pair of oxen and the path is covered in milk to make it easier for the oxen to drag the body (Ikram, 2003). Wealthy Egyptians would have a very extravagant affair to display their status. Members of the family would be placed on opposite sides of the coffin with two female relatives playing the roles of Isis and Nephthys. There were also dancers and performers. The initial procession would take them to a boat that would cross the Nile to the tomb where the final rites would be given (Australian Museum, 2015).
Final rites
Once the mourners reached the tomb, the last prayers and rituals were performed in order to ensure the soul will live on in the afterlife. The most important of these rituals is called “The Opening of the Mouth”. This ceremony was crucial in forming an akh, or the combination of the Ka and Ba. During this ceremony, a priest called the Sem dressed in a leopard skin, would restore the five senses back to the corpse using a variety of tools. The knife used in this sort of ritual is used in cutting a baby’s umbilical cord. It is to show that the deceased needs to be their own person in the afterlife (Ikram, 2003). The priest would also perform prayers and spells on the deceased in order to fully prepare them for the afterlife. After all the rituals were performed, there was a huge feast. Clothes and other items were offered to the body. At the end of the ceremony, the body is then lowered into the burial chamber, and is ready to begin its eternal life in the underworld (Australian Museum, 2015).
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