Surname 1

Name

Professor

Course

Date

Introduction

Ancient tradition was different from what many people would understand from the

current era. The Egyptian culture is globally recognized as a heritage that not only encompasses

the ancient beliefs of the people but distinctively identifies the unique attributes that the ancestral

Egyptians valued. For instance, the tomb was a reserved place for the dead and can be contrasted

with the modern graves (History, n.p). There might be some controversies that exist on the

reasons why the Egyptian culture is widely recognized and considered unique. Numerous

anthropologists have over the years developed interests to investigate about the Egyptian culture,

not for fun but because it is endowed with unique attributes that unveil the roots to the tradition.

However, the main question that needs clarity is whether the ancient Egyptian culture should be

considered among the wonders of the world or just a cultural heritage.

Egyptian tombs especially the pyramids are among the tombs that carry the greatest fame

in the world. Pyramids evolved from mastabas. But one would wonder what makes the

Egyptian culture so famous and greatly acknowledged ? Regarding the tombs, these were not just

graves, but they were special places where the memories of the dead were preserved. A tomb

might ordinarily seem like a grave, but the Egyptian tombs were unique and highly

acknowledged for connecting the dead and the living through memories (Wegner, 20).
 Surname 2

It is extremely difficult to perceive the cultural significance of the tomb to Egyptians.

One cannot begin to imagine the evolution of the mastabas to the step pyramids and finally to the

largest pyramid that would baffle the world to the extent that it is enlisted as one of the Seven

Wonders of the World. However, one would wonder as to where does a man draw such

inspiration as to engage 20,000 men for a period of over 20 years (Kuiper, n.d) just to construct a

tomb for him? Yet this motivation would not only run from the first to the fourth dynasties but

was evidently becoming stronger as the pharaohs in the fourth dynasty namely Khufu, Khafre

and Menkaure built the largest pyramids. The pyramid built for Khufu was the largest with a

height of 480 feet. The costs of such pyramids were astronomical yet the significance of the

pyramids would convince the Egyptians to overlook it.

A peep into an Egyptian tomb revealed a rich culture of beliefs the Egyptians held about

the present life, death, and the afterlife. Beliefs of this nature are not unique to Egyptians though

they vary. One of the belief held was that all those who died were believed to travel across vast

valleys with body masses and cross mountains before they would get to their destination. This

journey was believed to go through numerous doors as well as gates that were always under the

watchful eye of gods (Thomas, Faulkner and Andrews, 21). For a safer navigation, each tomb

was equipped with the Book of the Dead. Contained in this book were spells and

illustrations that were believed to furnish the dead person with knowledge and power for safe

travel through the dangers of the Netherworld. The spells were also believed to help the dead

control their bodies and sometimes transform into other creatures. The book emphasized the

ultimate goal of every Egyptian which was eternal life. The belief in the Book of the Dead is

particularly interesting; who can begin to imagine a book to be read and used by the dead? It is

inconceivable!
 Surname 3

A belief in the afterlife is not unique to the Egyptians but that of the Egyptians was particularly

eventful and memorable. The day of burial was believed to be the day that dead moved to the

world of the dead from that of the living. This day was marked by a special ceremony called the

opening of the mouth (Thomas, Faulkner and Andrews, 21). The significance of this ceremony

was to give life to the dead. It was believed that eventually the dead will face judgement, an

occasion where their hearts would be weighed against a feather of truth. Those that passed the

test would be allowed in the afterlife while those that failed would be eaten by a monster and

would cease to exist. They further believed that the afterlife was different for different people

and that they will be reunited with their families to live happily in eternity which was a better

form of Egypt.

Critical to Egyptians was the manner of a burial that a person received. As observed by

Pyramids, a person needed not only to be prepared well for burial but also given a proper send

off since this would determine their afterlife (Ancientegypt.co.uk, n.p). The afterlife was the

ultimate pursuit and hope of every Egyptian and seemingly no price was too high to ensure a

proper burial that was believed to open the door to it. Assmann echoes the same remarks that

indeed there is surely no funerary tradition in the world comparable to the Egyptian tomb

(Assmann, 66).

The perception of the afterlife as an eternity greatly refocused the Egyptians to attach

greater importance to the afterlife. In their view, the time spent on earth was too short, as

Assmann would call it trifle compared to the afterlife which is an eternity. It would seem that

life on earth was too short to merit their effort and attention and the best one could engage in on

earth was to prepare for the afterlife. For this reason, their tombs were extraordinarily sumptuous

with supplies believed to be necessities for the afterlife.

 Surname 4

Critically important to Egyptians is the remembrance of the dead by the living. This was greatly

cherished and esteemed. A tomb was a symbol of remembrance to the departed and for this

reason, pharaohs inspired by the desire of being remembered constructed massive pyramids

which stand as monuments. This was symbol of immortality.

It is imperative to consider the observation made by Assmann that people can only be

able to get more knowledge about the Egyptian tomb if at all they are willing to go beyond the

architectural designs, iconographic significance as well as epigraphic representation. This need

investigating more on the cultural as well as social theories, beliefs and practices that were held

in relation to respecting the dead. The overwhelming presence of eternity in the form of

monuments and inscriptions meant that life on earth appeared not only as a trifle but as

something more akin to a dream than reality, states Assmann, (66). It is this focus on securing a

place in eternity that can guide people to understand more of the Egyptian tomb.

Although the Egyptians envisioned the afterlife, Frankfurt observed that they could not

imagine surviving in such conditions without "physical substratum (Frankfurt 93). For this

reason, they developed mummification to preserve the body of the dead as a habitation of the

dead.

Conclusion

In conclusion, critical to understanding the Egyptian tomb is to possess a proper

understanding of their beliefs and value they associate with the afterlife. To the Egyptians, life on

earth is only a trifle compared to the afterlife which is an eternity. Consequently, little value is

attached to the life on earth and their ultimate pursuit is the afterlife. A proper burial in their view

is key to being allowed into the afterlife, and this explains why their tombs are sumptuous.
 Surname 5

Work cited

Ancientegypt.co.uk. (2017). Pyramids (House of Eternity). [Online] Available at:

http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/pyramids/home.html [Accessed 3 Dec. 2017].

Assmann, Jan, and Andrew Jenkins. The Mind of Egypt: History and Meaning in the Time of the

Pharaohs. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2002. Print.

Bowers, B. (2006). Why Were Pyramids So Important to Ancient Egyptians. [Online] Classroom.

Available at: http://ttps://classroom.synonym.com/why-were-pyramids-so-important-to-

ancient-egyptians-12081601.html [Accessed 3 Dec. 2017].

Frankfort, Henri. Ancient Egyptian Religion: An Interpretation. Mineola, N.Y: Dover

Publications, 2000. Internet resource.

History. (2009). Tombs. [Online] Available at: http://www.history.com/topics/tombs [Accessed 3

Dec. 2017].

Kuiper, Kathleen. Ancient Egypt: From Prehistory to the Islamic Conquest (e-Book). New York:

Rosen Digital, n.d.. Print.

Thomas, N., Faulkner, R. and Andrews, C. (1986). The Ancient Egyptian Book of the

Dead. African Arts, 20(1).

Wegner, Josef. "One Pharaoh, Two Tombs." Expedition, vol. 48, no. 2, Summer2006, pp. 20-22.