THE AFTERLIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT'S RELIGION AND LITERATURE
Ancient Egypt is often identified by its enormous pyramids, in particular the Great
Pyramid at Giza, which was built during the middle of the third millennium, BC. Pyramids
are massive monuments built over or around a crypt or tomb. The Egyptian pyramids served
as royal tombs. Not only do these colossal constructions depict the Egyptians' advanced
architectural abilities, but they also give us an insight into their belief system. Ancient
Egypt's beliefs were based on their view of life as a process which began on earth, but
continued in the afterlife, or continued existence after death. Egyptians believed that proper
burial ensured the deceased entrance into the afterlife. Their belief was that in order for the
soul to pass into the next life, the body must remain intact; therefore, to preserve it, they
developed the procedures of mummification or embalming, the art of preserving bodies after
death, generally by the use of chemical substances. The preservation was essential to
resurrecting or moving on to the afterlife. The preserved body would then be placed in the
pyramid which was considered a vessel that transported the deceased into the afterlife.
Ancient Egypt's religious beliefs were the dominating influence in the development of their
culture. Egyptian religion gave reason for their belief in an afterlife, and their literature
demonstrated how important that belief was to Ancient Egyptians. The religious beliefs of
the Ancient Egyptians were based on a combination of the belief in spiritual beings, existence
of many gods or divine beings, and the depiction of these gods in either human or animal
form. Egyptians' religious beliefs about the afterlife are depicted in their hymns to their gods
and in an extensive collection of mortuary texts which demonstrate their religious beliefs.
Some examp...