1. Egyptian Religion
Chapter 3 Section 3

2. Afterlife Afterlife  life after death
With each step of the pharaoh’s funeral, there were prayers to help his soul on the way to the afterlife.
Nobles and royal family followed the body as it was carried to the royal tomb.
Workers closed the tomb and the mourners went home.
The pharaoh’s journey to the afterlife had begun.

3. Religion in Egyptian Life
Important part of daily life
It was the way people explained the workings of nature.
Believed only magical spirits could control these events – tired to please their gods
Each part of Egypt had its own gods and goddesses who had their own temples.
Upper Egypt vs. Lower Egypt (different gods)
Over time came to believe in several groups of gods
Humans with animal heads
Osiris – the god of the living and the dead

4. Religion in Egyptian Life
Amon-Re  chief god
Protected the rich and the poor
Believed to be born each morning in the east and died each evening in the west
West was believed to be the home of the dead
Osiris had a family
Horus, his son, was the god of the sky.
Egyptians worshipped Isis as the great mother who protected the health of her children.

5. Anon-Re

6. Life Ever After
The ancient Egyptians believed the spirits of the dead made their way to the afterlife in heavenly boats.
Once there, if they lived right in this life, they joined with Osiris and lived a life of ease and pleasure.
Souls couldn’t survive without food, clothing, or other items from this life so Egyptians placed their possessions in the pharaoh’s tomb.

7. Life Ever After
Egyptians believed that if bodies were preserved, or made into mummies, the spirit would exist in the afterlife.
Bodies of important people (royalty) were mummified.
Process  3 months.
Workers carefully removed the organs.
The body was then filled with a natural salt and stored for at least 42 days.
Completely dried out during that time

8. Life Ever After Body cleaned and bathed in spices once it was dry.
Wrapped with long linen bandages.
Arms and legs were bandaged tightly to the body.
Artisans busy carving the coffin.
A pharaoh had 3 or 4 coffins – fit one inside the other like a nest of boxes.
The innermost coffin was usually shaped like a human body, with the dead person’s face painted on the cover.

9. M u m m i f i c a t i o n

10. Tombs for the Pharaohs
Planning for tomb began as soon as he was crowned.
Tomb building became an art.
Pyramids  huge buildings with 4 sloping outside walls like triangles
Most of the pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom – largest is the Great Pyramid

11. The Great Pyramid

12. Tombs for the Pharaohs Organization and time
It could take 20 or more years to build a pyramid.
Project began with the selection of a site on the west bank of the Nile
Engineers set the pyramid square so that the sides faced the main points of the compass.
Workers cut the blocks out of stone.

13. Tombs for the Pharaohs Ancient Egyptians didn’t use the wheel yet.
Workers had to use sleds, wooden rollers, and levels to put the blocks of stone into place.
Workers had to be fed at least twice a day – ate huge quantities of wheat bread.
Building pyramids was dangerous work
To build a pyramid was an act of faith – ensuring the pharaoh’s place in the afterlife.