There isn’t a person in the world that hasn’t thought about the possibility of life after death at some point. For the Ancient Egyptians, much of their life was spent preparing for the afterlife. The Book Of The Dead, is an Ancient Egyptian guidebook on funeral rites and the afterlife.
The Book Of The Dead
According to the Book Of The Dead, the afterlife is a rather complicated affair. Therefore the book consists of magical spells that help navigate the afterlife into paradise. The Book Of The Dead wasn’t exactly a book, it is a collection of spells written on a scroll of papyrus that was only afforded by the upper class.
A lot of these spells were about preserving what they had in the material world, in the spiritual realm. This meant preserving the physical body as well as material possessions.
To cross the afterlife into paradise was thought to be a journey full of challenges. Eventually when reaching the gates of paradise, you are questioned by the gatekeepers. Your fate would be dependant on the answer given and your ability to fight off the guardians if answered incorrectly.
An Ancient Egyptian Burial
A funerary rite in Ancient Egypt would have been a long process. The manner in which you were buried depended on your status in life.
Although, the funerary basics for the rich and poor remained the same. The body would be washed with the water of the Nile. After this, the organs would be prepped for removal. (a warning for the squeamish…)
First, the brain would be removed from the nostrils with a hooked instrument. Next the liver, lungs, intestines and stomach were removed. Except for the heart which was considered to be the house of intelligence and emotions.
Canopic Jars: Organ Preservation Jars
After the removal of the organs, all the organs except for the brain was washed and dried. Funnily enough, the brain was discarded as it wasn’t considered to be important. Thereafter, the organs were packaged in linen and stored in what is called a canopic jar.