Name

Institution

Course

Date

Discuss the Development of Egyptian Funerary Practices and its related imagery

It is worth to note that Ancient Egypt has been described to have had numerous funerary

practices. These practices were believed to play a significant role in keeping the dead 'alive,' i.e.,

preservation of their immortality after the demise of the loved one. Some of the renowned rituals

that were practiced included the mummification of the body, burying the decease with specific

goods which were included in the decease's will, and casting a magic spell in the deceased grave.

According to scholars such as Stokstad and Cothren, who have written about the Egyptian's

cultural practices, the burying of the dead body with goods was a symbol that the deceased might

need the goods in their afterlife. According to Stokstad and Cothren, just as the world has

evolved, so is the Egyptian funerary practices.

Modern Egypt has seen the abandonment of old customs and practices and the embrace of

contemporary living practices. However, it is worth noting that several of the old funerary

customs have defied ages and are highly practices by some of the modern Egyptians. According

to Stokstad and Cothren, mummification of the body involved dehydration of the body using a

chemical like liquid called natron. The mummification process was believed to results in the

unity of the body and the soul. This was meant to help the body accept its afterlife form.

Mummification occurred in different forms according to the financial prowess of the

practitioners. There was expensive, cheapest and moderately expensive. The variability of the

cost was meant to accommodate even the poorest members of society.

It is worth noting that some of the contemporary members of Egyptian society still practice

mummification. According to Stokstad and Cothren, mummification is applied by the classical

members of Egyptian community (Stokstad and Cothren 64). Preparation of the body before

burial entailed another funerary practice that was held in high esteem by the early Egyptians

(Stokstad and Cothren 55). This was the process that involved the preparation of the body for life

after death. There were various practices that took place during preparation, such as bathing and

oiling the body. It was believed that if living failed to prepare the body, the body might fail to be

accepted by God. This implies that the decease might come back and haunt the living.

Therefore, preparation of the body before burial was an essential aspect of the Egyptian funerals.

Finally, burying the body with certain household goods was another funerary practice that was

respected among the early Egyptians. Some of the deceased were buried with specific items

depending on the request before death. The burying of the body with household goods

symbolized that the dead would use the goods in his or her afterlife. In summary, it is worth

noting that Egyptians funerary practice includes a great point of reference to scholars when

studying Egyptian civilization. Some of these funerary practices are still held dearly by some of

the contemporary Egyptians to date.

Work Cited

Stokstad, Marilyn, and Michael Cothren. Art History Vol 1. 6th ed. Pearson, 2018. Print.