Although the preservation method of natural mummy is feasible, the expansion of cemetery makes the remains slowly dry and rot into bones, so the practice of artificial mummy has been developed.
Until the ancient kingdom, the right to rebirth and resurrection after death was limited to some ruling classes such as Pharaoh or royal family. However, as soon as the ancient kingdom era ended, with the popularity of Osiris belief, the production of artificial mummies also expanded to the lower classes. Then, after the Middle Kingdom era, the book of death was completed at the end of the second intermediate period, and the Egyptian concept of life and death was established.
Mummification of rebirth after death
The ancient Egyptians mummified in the hope of rebirth after death and eternal life. Mummies wearing Anubis masks will take out organs and brains from corpses. They will cut open the flank to extract the internal organs, and then destroy the bones in the nostrils to extract the brain marrow.
Five elements that make up human beings
For the ancient Egyptians, human beings were composed of five indispensable elements: Ba, Ka, Ake, Name and Shadow. These five elements are not only necessary for human existence, but also necessary for the two worlds before and after death.
hope earnestly/stick to
Appear as a bird with a head. Represents a unique spiritual part of the individual. After death, people will be mummified and buried in graves. Although the dead body can't move, Ba can fly away from the dead body and fly freely.
Card (ka)
The sacred script of the card is "Raise your arms". The card is also a soul-like existence, and will accept the offerings from the cemetery and be responsible for maintaining vitality. Generally, the offerings for the dead are placed in front of the fake door of the mausoleum, and the statues (cards) of the dead will also be placed in front of the fake door. In the eulogy, the sacrifice will be read, not for the deceased himself, but for the card of the deceased.
Akh (akh)
"Ake" is an ingredient produced by the combination of Ba and Ka. After becoming Ake, it will become an eternal existence that will never die. When the deceased lived in the underworld.
Shadow (shwt)
The existence of "shadow" is also an important element of all mankind. The shadow named shwt has the function of protecting human beings from harm.
Name (Ren)
Name is a very important element. At that time, it was thought that people could not formally become people without names.
The Book of the Necromancer records a spell that revives the dead in the afterlife.
The Book of the Dead, which was completed at the end of the second intermediate period, is a representative funeral document in ancient Egypt. It is a general term for "prt m hrw". It consists of about 200 articles (spells) to guide the dead how to resurrect in the afterlife. Write it on a papyrus roll and bury it in the grave. Since the New Kingdom 18 Dynasty Thutmose IV, illustrations have been attached. The following figure is a diagram of chapter 125 of the book of the dead.
Balance center
Weigh the heart of the deceased and the feathers of Mayat, the goddess of universal truth. Balance has nothing to do with weight.
theocracy
The Nine-Pillar Gods of Helio Bohris (P 1 1 1) and the 42 Gods of the Jury. The deceased will read "Confessions of Denial of Crime" in front of the gods, indicating that there was no crime before his death.
Isis, the goddess Nefertis
Osiris's sister and wife Isis, Osiris's sister Nefertis stood behind him to meet the dead.
Osiris
After weighing the heart, the dead will come to Osiris. Osiris sat on the throne. Horus' four sons were painted in front of Osiris.
Jesus, Horus.
Horus is the son of Osiris and Isis. Introduce Osiris to the dead man standing behind him.
Toth
Toth is responsible for recording the measurement results. Toth is the calendar secretary who records the moon's profit and loss.
Amit
If the balance is tilted, the monster waiting beside the balance will eat the heart and make the soul of the dead disappear.
Anubis
Anubis, the guardian of the dead, leads the dead into the "Hall of Two Truth".
feather
The feather of Maya, the goddess of truth. And the heart of the deceased.
heart
Measure the dead man's heart and Mayat's feathers at both ends of the scale.
dead
Follow the god Anubis to the place of weighing heart.
Brief introduction of the author
Kondo Jiro
195 1 was born in Suginami, Tokyo. Professor of Archaeology and Director of Egyptology Institute, Waseda University. After graduating from the Department of Western History of the First Literature Department of Waseda University, he entered the Department of Literature Studies of the Institute of Waseda University to study for a doctorate in archaeology, and dropped out after the course expired. 1976 joined the Egyptian investigation team of Waseda University.
198 1 year1October ~1September, 1983 as an international student sent by the Ministry of Education, Asia and other countries to study at Cairo University in Egypt. After that, he engaged in the excavation and investigation of ancient sites all over Egypt. Investigate and study the grottoes and tombs of Thebes cemetery group on the west bank of Thebes during the new kingdom of Egypt. Specializing in Egyptology, Archaeology and Ancient Astronomy.
His main works include The Origin of Fifty Things (a new book by Yanbo Junior), Appreciation of Ancient Egyptian Scriptures (a new book by Jiyingshe), Egyptian Archaeology (a new book by Tongcheng), Egyptian Archaeology (published by Waseda University on demand), Mythical Origin of Known Constellations: Nile Constellation in Egypt, and Mythical Origin of Known Constellations: Ancient Mesopotamia Constellation. There are many translations, such as The Golden Mask of Tutankhamun by Nicholas Reeves (original research), Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Valley of the Kings by Nicholas Reeves/Richard H Wilkinson (original research), Egyptian Fine Arts by Romil Malec (Yanbo Bookstore), and Lecture on the First Experience of Scripture by Bill Manley (original research). (The above titles are all temporary translations).