13: Death and the Afterlife: Introduction

Funerary religion

Death in ancient Egypt

Life in ancient Egypt

Maintaining Order

Egyptian society

Ma'at (order)

4 categories:
Gods
King
"Effective Spirits" (="Blessed dead") (AKHs)
People

Other categories outside this

Maintenance of ma'at

Maintenance of ma’at

Harshness of life: mortality and life expectancy

Attitudes to death

Components of individuals

Components of people:

Physical:

BODY

HEART

Non-physcial:

KA

BA

NAME

SHADOW

AKH: "effective spirit"

Journey after death

Judgment of dead

Ma'at

"True of voice"

Interaction of living with dead

Offerings at tomb/chapel

Letters to dead

Communication with ancestors

Ancestor Busts

"Effective spirits" as "ghosts"?

"Ghost stories"

Story of Setna

Death & the Afterlife

"Harper’s songs"

Skepticism and counter-skepticism

Death and divine precedent

OSIRIS

SUN-GODS

A Team of Jackal Gods

KHENTIAMENTIU
Archaic god of dead (merges with Osiris)

ANUBIS
Embalmer, Guardian of the Dead

WEPWAWET
Opener of the Ways

DUAMUTEF
One of the 4 sons of Horus