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Week 4

Discussions in class

As a result of the workshop discussion and presentations I wanted to learn more about the different ways
each of the mummies were decorated/inscribed, depending on position/status.

It was quite noticeable at the exhibition to notice that each of the mummies did have significant differences,
making each coffin unique. Specifically I found the religious depictions on Tamut really interesting and took
to researching more about the meanings behind these symbols and scenes on the coffin

Tamut

  • The Gold face represents the "divine quality" she would (was expected) attain after death.(1) Additionally
    the headdress is suggested to have links to the goddess Hathor, who protected the dead and was also
    the divine goddess women aspired to be in death.(1)

  • Other scenes depicted on the case include Osiris and the sun god Ra, who "brought new life to 
    the dead."(1)  The scene depicts the moment after Tamut's heart was weight as she is being led before
    Osiris, as well as other gods.(1)

  • Another scene Tamut is depicted in portrays her being bathed by Thoth and Horus in life-giving water.(1)

  • Other gods depicted included Isis, Osiris, Horus, Nephtys, and Thoth(2)

    • Additionally the panels placed at the tomb depicted the religious scene of purification conducted
      by Thoth and Horus.(2)

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Religion in Ancient Egypt
"The ancient Egyptians saw life as temporary and the afterlife as eternal."

  • Religion in Ancient Egypt was not only complex, as a result on the thousand different gods, but also flexible as there was no single sacred text.(3) 

  • What is fascinating about the Egyptian gods is that a lot of the gods had merged animal and human elements, and some even had multiple forms. For example it is depicted in a funerary text called "The Litany of Ra" the 75 forms of the sun god.(3)

  • Gods had both roles in everyday life as well as significant roles in the afterlife, and a persons transition into the afterlife.(3)

  • Osiris was known as the Lord of the Underworld and was often depicted as a mummy,
    he is also a model to all deceased as who to become in death.(3)

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“You have not departed dead, you have departed alive.” quoted from the oldest
Egyptian mortuary liturgy​

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  • It is evident that the afterlife and death were significant in the lives of Ancient Egyptians

    • It was a belief that in death an individuals spirit would depart from the body, and in
      the afterlife it would be reanimated. Therefore it was important that ​the body was
      both protected and preserved.

    • However it was not easy to enter into the afterlife as there were several tasks
      that had to be accomplished, including the weighing of a persons heart. If it passed
      the test you would be welcomed into the afterlife. If it was heavy and therefore filled
      with sin it was then eaten by the demon Am-mut. 

    • Initially as mummification was expensive and time consuming it was only practised
      by Pharaohs, however it was later adapted to be performed on other Egyptians.

    • Interestingly the stomach, liver, intestines, lungs, and brain were all removed
      as the heart remained in place as it was seen as the centre of knowledge and
      containing a persons spirit.

  • It is suggested that more emphasis and effort was put into preparing for the afterlife in
    comparison to life. For example as tombs for Pharaohs were build from stone, whereas 
    palaces were build from mud-brick, weeds, and wood- which are all short term materials.

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Roman Influence on Mummification

  • Another part of the exhibition which I found truly fascinating was seeing the Roman influence
    on mummification, seeing how the art style change and adopted more Romanesque ideals. As
    stated in the Egyptian Mummies text I too assumed when Egypt was dominated by Roman rule
    there would have been a significant decline in the number of mummified bodies.(4)

  • However it appears that during this period there was a diverse range of mummification
    standards.(4) It seems during this Roman period there was more of an emphasis on the outer
    appearance, in comparison to the care given to the preservation of the bodies. (4) 

    • As seen on the case of the young boy there is a lot of detail put into the portrait and
      decoration.

    • Additionally this image provides a clear example of the Roman ideals changing the
      appearance of the coffin. 

  • As a result of the high number of bodies at the time, it is suggested that this is why less
    effort was put into the preservation of the bodies as well as the bodies would have already
    started to decay.(4)

  • It is evident that the organs were not removed for the mummy pictured, as it was seen
    as non-essential to the preservation of the body.(4)

  • However although these technique of the time seemed simpler, with less care taken to
    preserve and protect the physical bodies, the mummies discovered from this time period
    still seem to be in great condition.(4)

  • Additionally the Roman influence can be seen on funerary shrouds of this time where the 
    deceased is portrayed youthful, lively and looking at the viewer, in contrast to most Egyptian
    art with the subject facing sideways. Also the portrait depicts the deceased in clothes worn by
    the living.(5)

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Bibliography

Tamut, Egyptian Mummy Exhibition, Powerhouse museum 2017

Osiris, Lord of the Underworld

Young Man, Artemidorus(4)

Example of Funerary shroul, Egyptian 1st-2nd Century AD (Roman period)

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