Most Ancient Egyptians believed in
Polytheism (multiple gods), with the exception of one Pharaoh who failed to
convert the people from polytheism to Monotheism (one god). When an Egyptian
died they were preserved for what they believed was the 'after life'. Ancient
Egyptians believed that after they died, the soul didn’t die but instead
changed to another type of living. After ‘death’ was the afterlife where before
entering heaven, they would pass through the underworld where their hearts
would be judged by Anubis (a powerful god). Depending on whether your good deeds outweighed
your bad, would decipher whether or not you continued onwards to heaven. If your bad deeds
outweighed your good then your sinful heart would be devoured by the
monster Ammit, who was known as ‘The Eater of the Dead’. He had the head of
a crocodile. If you made it to heaven you would be able to re-live the best
moments of their lives and live with the same possessions/personality and
family.
If people could afford it, they would bury their loved ones with food and drink to use in the afterlife. People would paint pictures on the walls of their burial site of the things they suspected that they would re-live in the afterlife. Kings were buried with statues of servants and precious possessions because they then believed these things would be taken to the afterlife with them.
If people could afford it, they would bury their loved ones with food and drink to use in the afterlife. People would paint pictures on the walls of their burial site of the things they suspected that they would re-live in the afterlife. Kings were buried with statues of servants and precious possessions because they then believed these things would be taken to the afterlife with them.
An image of mummification (how Egyptian people preserved and buried the dead).
Tools and materials used for mummification, including linen, sawdust, frankincense, beeswax, resin, onion, Nile mud, lichen and natron.