Arh1000 architecture of the afterlife embalming & tombs in ancient egypt

ARCHITECTURE OF THE  
AFTERLIFE 
Embalming & Tombs in Ancient Egypt
Professor Will Adams

Ancient Egypt: Gift of the Nile

▪ The ancient Egyptians inhabited the
fertile valley of the Nile.

▪ The river's annual flood deposited a
fresh layer of silt, renewing the
fertility of the soil & ensuring that, for
the most part, the country was
prosperous & the population
sufficiently fed.

▪ The river's annual flood deposited a
fresh layer of silt, renewing the
fertility of the soil & ensuring that, for
the most part, the country was
prosperous & the population
sufficiently fed.
▪ For much of the year, most people
would be involved in agricultural
labor of some kind, but during the
Inundation (July – October) the
workforce was used by the state for
building & other major projects such
as "rehabilitation" of the land
following the flood.

Ancient Egyptian Mummification
Preserving Pharaohs for an Eternity

The Purpose of Egyptian Mummification

▪ The ancient Egyptians’ funerary
customs & beliefs called for the
preservation of the body & ample
provisions for the afterlife.

▪ This was envisioned as a continuation
of the mortal existence after death.

▪ An ancient Egyptian would provide for
the afterlife as best as his or her
economic abilities would allow.

▪ Today, this means that a huge amount
of information about daily life in
ancient Egypt can be found in the
tombs.

▪ Today, this means that a huge amount
of information about daily life in
ancient Egypt can be found in the
tombs.
▪ Examination of mummies provides
information on health, diet & life-
expectancy.

▪ The body of a dead Egyptian would be
made into a mummy in order to preserve
the body for its immortal soul, or ka.

▪ The word "mummy" comes from the
Arabic mumiyah (body preserved by wax
or bitumen)

or bitumen)
▪ The process of mummification was
complicated, including removing organs
& wrapping the body in linen cloth.

or bitumen)
▪ The body was treated with preservatives
which dried out the body of the mummy.

or bitumen)
▪ The body was treated with preservatives
which dried out the body of the mummy.
▪ The ancient Egyptians believed that,
after death, their bodies would travel to
the world of the afterlife during the day
& return to their bodies at night.

▪ In order for the person’s spirit,
or ka, to live forever, it had to be
able to recognize & return to
the body.

the body.
▪ If a spirit could not recognize
the body it belonged to, it
would die.

the body.
would die.
▪ This is why the Egyptians
wanted to preserve the bodies
of the dead in as life-like a state
as possible.

the body.
would die.
▪ This is why the Egyptians
wanted to preserve the bodies
of the dead in as life-like a state
as possible.
▪ Mummification guaranteed
eternal life for the spirit.

The Mummification Process
▪ The entire process took 70
days to complete.

days to complete.
▪ Several embalmers
conducted the task in the
special embalming shop, or
per-nefer.

days to complete.
per-nefer.
▪ The chief embalmer was
known as the hery sheshta.

days to complete.
per-nefer.
▪ The chief embalmer was
known as the hery sheshta.
▪ He wore a jackal mask to
represent Anubis, the god of
mummification.

▪ After the deceased’s body was
brought to the per-nefer, it
was washed with a mixture of
palm wine and water from the
Nile, then shaved of its hair.

▪ Following that, all of the body
parts that might decay or rot
were removed.

▪ Following that, all of the body
parts that might decay or rot
were removed.
▪ The embalmers first removed
the deceased’s brain through
his or her nose using a long
hook.

▪ The long hook was used to
stir up the brain until it was
liquefied.

liquefied.
▪ Then the embalmers would
turn the body face down to
allow the brain to ooze out
through the nostrils.

liquefied.
▪ The Egyptians were so rough
on the brain because they
didn’t realize its importance.

liquefied.
▪ The Egyptians were so rough
on the brain because they
didn’t realize its importance.
▪ They thought its sole purpose
was to produce snot!

▪ Next, the embalmers would
remove the soft, moist
body parts that would
cause the body to decay.

▪ Next, the embalmers would
remove the soft, moist
body parts that would
cause the body to decay.
▪ A deep incision was made
in the left side of the
deceased’s abdomen to
remove his or her internal
organs, usually the lungs,
the stomach, the liver and
the intestines.

▪ In some cases they removed
the heart, but in the vast
majority of cases they left it.

▪ Unlike modern humans, the
ancient believed that the
heart, not the brain, was the
seat of the soul

▪ Unlike modern humans, the
ancient believed that the
heart, not the brain, was the
seat of the soul
▪ The Egyptians also believed
that the heart testified on
behalf of the deceased during
the Weighing of the Heart
Ceremony in the afterlife.

▪ After the body’s organs had
been removed, it was stuffed
with bundles of a strong drying
salt called natron that was
meant to further dehydrate the
corpse.

▪ After the body’s organs had
been removed, it was stuffed
with bundles of a strong drying
salt called natron that was
meant to further dehydrate the
corpse.
▪ The deceased’s entire body
was then covered with natron
& placed on an inclined slab so
that any moisture the natron
pulled from the body would
run off the end, be collected &
buried with the body.

▪ While the body was drying, the
previously removed internal
organs were also dried &
preserved with natron.

▪ They were then wrapped in
strips of linen & put into
separate containers called
canopic jars.

▪ They were then wrapped in
strips of linen & put into
separate containers called
canopic jars.
▪ The Egyptians believed that all
body parts would be magically
reunited in the afterlife and that
the body would become whole
again, just like the god Osiris’s
had.

The Egyptian Myth of Osiris
▪ According to Egyptian
mythology, the god Osiris was
murdered by his jealous
brother Set, who hacked
Osiris’s body into pieces &
scattered them into the Nile.

▪ Heartbroken, Osiris’s wife, the
goddess Isis, reassembled the
pieces with the other gods’
assistance & Osiris was
magically restored.

▪ Heartbroken, Osiris’s wife, the
goddess Isis, reassembled the
pieces with the other gods’
assistance & Osiris was
magically restored.
▪ He then went on to become
the god of the afterlife.

▪ The stoppers of the canopic jars
were shaped like the heads of the
four sons of the god Horus (god of
the Egyptian kings).

▪ Each son protected the organ placed
inside his respective jar:

▪ Jackal-headed Duamutef guarded
the jar that contained the stomach.

▪ Falcon-headed Qebehsenuf watched
over the intestines.

▪ The baboon-headed son of Horus,
Hapi, protected the lungs.

▪ The baboon-headed son of Horus,
Hapi, protected the lungs.
▪ Human-headed Imseti was in charge
of protecting the liver.

▪ Next, the canopic jars
were carefully stored in a
heavy, secure chest that
was later placed in the
tomb with the mummy.

▪ Next, the canopic jars
were carefully stored in a
heavy, secure chest that
was later placed in the
tomb with the mummy.
▪ The chest of canopic jars
on the left was found in
the tomb of the famous
King Tutankhamen.

▪ After 40 days, the body was
completely dehydrated.

▪ During that time the skin
became shrunken, wrinkled &
leathery.

leathery.
▪ The bundles of natron were
then removed from the
body’s abdomen.

leathery.
▪ The bundles of natron were
then removed from the
body’s abdomen.
▪ Next, the mummy was
washed with wine & water
one more time & rubbed with
sacred oils to soften the skin.

▪ The mummy’s head & body were
packed with herbs, sawdust &
linen soaked in scented oil so
that the body could regain its
shape, and to deodorize the
deceased’s body.

deceased’s body.
▪ Then, small stones or small
onions were placed under the
eyelids to restore a life-like
appearance.

deceased’s body.
▪ Then, small stones or small
onions were placed under the
eyelids to restore a life-like
appearance.
▪ Once this was done, the mummy
could be covered with necklaces,
rings and bracelets made of gold
& gems.

▪ According to Egyptian myth, the
god Horus had his eye
miraculously restored after
losing it in a battle with the evil
god Set.

god Set.
▪ As a result, The Eye of Horus,
called a wedjat, is associated
with healing & protection.

god Set.
▪ As a result, The Eye of Horus,
called a wedjat, is associated
with healing & protection.
▪ During mummification, a wax or
bronze plate with a wedjat
carved on it was placed over the
embalming incision to magically
heal the wound in the afterlife.

▪ Once the wedjat was in
place, the entire body was
then covered in shrouds &
bound with strips of linen
until the mummy had
returned to its original size.

▪ Once the wedjat was in
place, the entire body was
then covered in shrouds &
bound with strips of linen
until the mummy had
returned to its original size.
▪ This was a complicated job,
could take as long as a
week, and usually required
1,000 yards’ worth of 2 – 8”
wide linen strips.

▪ As the mummy was being
wrapped, small, magical
carvings called amulets
were inserted between the
layers of linen to further
protect the mummy’s spirit
on its way to the afterlife.

▪ As the mummy was being
wrapped, small, magical
carvings called amulets
were inserted between the
layers of linen to further
protect the mummy’s spirit
on its way to the afterlife.
▪ As each layer was added, it
was coated with resin to
hold the wrappings together
with a waterproof seal.

▪ After the week of wrapping
was finished, the head of the
mummy was covered with a
portrait mask.

portrait mask.
▪ This was designed to ensure
that the ka would recognize
the body in the afterlife.

portrait mask.
▪ This was designed to ensure
that the ka would recognize
the body in the afterlife.
▪ Finally, the wrapped, masked
mummy was placed into a
series of wooden & gilded
coffins which were ultimately
placed into a stone
sarcophagus.

▪ On the day of the funeral, the
mummy was brought to the
western bank of the Nile on a
barque.

barque.
▪ The mummy was next brought
to its tomb, where Osiris’s
priests performed the Opening
of the Mouth Ceremony by
touching the deceased’s eyes,
nose, and mouth of the
sarcophagus with a sacred tool.

barque.
▪ The mummy was next brought
to its tomb, where Osiris’s
priests performed the Opening
of the Mouth Ceremony by
touching the deceased’s eyes,
nose, and mouth of the
sarcophagus with a sacred tool.
▪ This ritual symbolically
reactivated these senses in the
afterlife.

▪ The deceased’s sarcophagus was
then placed inside the tomb’s burial
chamber, the entrance to which
would be sealed to prevent looting
or theft.

or theft.
▪ Before the tomb was sealed, the
deceased’s family members
deposited food, clothes, furniture,
and dishes into the burial chamber.

or theft.
▪ Before the tomb was sealed, the
deceased’s family members
deposited food, clothes, furniture,
and dishes into the burial chamber.
▪ They did this because the Egyptians
believed the deceased would need
the same accoutrements in the
afterlife that he or she had used in
his or her mortal life.

▪ If you still can’t get enough
of the Egyptian
mummification process,
then you might enjoy the
opportunity to act like a
virtual hery shesta, using
the Québec Museum of
Civilization’s online
embalming game at:

▪ If you still can’t get enough
of the Egyptian
mummification process,
then you might enjoy the
opportunity to act like a
virtual hery shesta, using
the Québec Museum of
Civilization’s online
embalming game at:
www.mcq.org/momies

Architecture of the Afterlife
Erecting A Pharaoh’s Eternal Home

Architecture of the Afterlife 
Building Materials

Building Materials
▪ The 3 most common materials for
construction in Egypt were plant
materials, clay & stone.

Building Materials
▪ Plant materials consisted of
readily available materials like
reeds, papyrus, & palm tree ribs &
shafts.

Building Materials
shafts.
▪ Timber was available in limited
quantity & used for roofing.

Building Materials
shafts.
▪ Nile-sourced clay was used for
construction, either for frame
construction or as sun-dried brick.

Building Materials
shafts.
▪ Nile-sourced clay was used for
construction, either for frame
construction or as sun-dried brick.
▪ Stone was not used much during
the early period of Egyptian
civilization, but became popular
later for tombs & temples.

The Socio-Cultural Context

▪ Ancient Egyptians viewed
earthly dwellings as
temporary, so they spent
very little emphasis on
house construction.

house construction.
▪ Instead, tremendous effort
was exerted in tomb
construction.

house construction.
▪ Instead, tremendous effort
was exerted in tomb
construction.
▪ This stemmed from the
belief that the deceased’s
tomb was his or her true
permanent dwelling, as it
would be used for the
entirety of the afterlife.

▪ As previously stated,
Egyptians believed that a
dead person needed all her or
his worldly goods in the
afterlife.

afterlife.
▪ Subsequently, the tomb was
usually packed with all the
dead person’s treasures.

afterlife.
▪ Subsequently, the tomb was
usually packed with all the
dead person’s treasures.
▪ If something could not be
provided, its image was
painted on the walls of the
tomb.

▪ During the Old Kingdom, the
pharaoh and his court lived in
Memphis.

Memphis.
▪ When they died, they were buried at
the necropolis at Saqqara.

Memphis.
▪ Today, very little of ancient
Memphis survives because its
structures were built from
inexpensive, locally-sourced
materials.

Memphis.
▪ Today, very little of ancient
Memphis survives because its
structures were built from
inexpensive, locally-sourced
materials.
▪ Houses were built of materials like
wood and mud-brick, and were only
meant to last for 1 lifetime.

▪ The earliest method of burial in
ancient Egypt was actually in
shallow pits in the desert of the
Nile’s west bank.

Nile’s west bank.
▪ The desert sand dried the bodies
and preserved them.

Nile’s west bank.
and preserved them.
▪ When animals preying on bodies
became a problem in burial, the
people dug their graves deeper.

Nile’s west bank.
and preserved them.
▪ When animals preying on bodies
became a problem in burial, the
people dug their graves deeper.
▪ In the end, to ensure the
preservation of their burials,
they built a bench-like structure
over graves to create the first
burial structure called a
mastaba.

▪ The name mastaba derived from
the name for the steps or
podiums found in the front of
traditional Egyptian houses.

▪ In the Old Kingdom, rich & noble
people built mastabas for their
burials in the necropolis.

▪ Above ground, the mastaba
looks like a large bench of
sunbaked bricks rising about 30
feet high, with a flat roof &
sloping walls.

▪ Above ground, the mastaba
looks like a large bench of
sunbaked bricks rising about 30
feet high, with a flat roof &
sloping walls.
▪ The earliest mastabas were
decorated with painted patterns
in brilliant colors.

▪ Internally, a mastaba consists
of three spaces: an
underground burial chamber
& an above ground serdab &
chapel.
▪ The burial chamber was
located 30 feet below ground
& was the place for the
deceased’s sarcophagus.

▪ Internally, a mastaba consists
of three spaces: an
underground burial chamber
& an above ground serdab &
chapel.
▪ The burial chamber was
located 30 feet below ground
& was the place for the
deceased’s sarcophagus.
▪ It was connected to the
serdab & chapel above
ground through a shaft.

▪ The mastaba’s serdab &
chapel are located above-
ground.

ground.
▪ The serdab is a room where
the ka statue of the dead
person is kept.

ground.
▪ The serdab is a room where
the ka statue of the dead
person is kept.
▪ The ka statue would act as a
substitute for the deceased’s
body in case it was destroyed
and was also the focus of
worship by the deceased’s
family members.

▪ Some mastabas had
surrounding security
fences or walls, and some
even had chambers for
the burial of the
deceased’s servants or
pets.

▪ Some mastabas had
surrounding security
fences or walls, and some
even had chambers for
the burial of the
deceased’s servants or
pets.
▪ The design of the mastaba
is the architectural
embryo that grew into the
pyramids.

Architecture of the Afterlife: 
The Step Pyramid of King Djoser

▪ Egyptian King Djoser was a
powerful pharaoh of the third
dynasty of the Old Kingdom.

▪ His tomb, known as the Step
Pyramid of King Djoser, was
designed by Imhotep (the first
named artist in history) in 2,667
BCE.

BCE.
▪ It was built as a funeral
complex at the necropolis of
Saqqara.

BCE.
▪ It was built as a funeral
complex at the necropolis of
Saqqara.
▪ Initially, Imhotep conceived of
the tomb as a large mastaba of
stone.

▪ Apparently, King Djoser did
not like Imhotep’s initial idea,
so instead Imhotep designed
a series of layered mastaba
“steps” instead.

▪ The result was a pyramid with
five sloping tiers set upon a
massive mastaba base.

▪ The result was a pyramid with
five sloping tiers set upon a
massive mastaba base.
▪ As a result, this step pyramid
acts as the intermediate step
between the mastaba and a
true geometric pyramid.

Snefru’s Bent Pyramid at Dahshur

▪ The later Pharaoh Snefru made
two attempts at creating a
true pyramid.

true pyramid.
▪ His first attempt in 2,600 BCE,
the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur,
had a square plan with a
height of 334’.

true pyramid.
▪ His first attempt in 2,600 BCE,
the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur,
had a square plan with a
height of 334’.
▪ Due to structural instability
during construction, the
pyramid’s sides changed angle
halfway up, which led to its
being nicknamed the “Bent
Pyramid”.

The Pyramids at Giza

▪ Construction of a true
geometrical pyramid was
finally achieved during reign of
King Khufu, son of Snefru, in
2,560 BCE.

2,560 BCE.
▪ His pyramid is located, along
with the other most famous
true pyramids, on the Giza
Plateau on the west bank of
the Nile.

2,560 BCE.
▪ His pyramid is located, along
with the other most famous
true pyramids, on the Giza
Plateau on the west bank of
the Nile.
▪ The pyramid is 482’ high on a
plan of 760’ square.

▪ Eventually, two additional
pyramids were built at Giza
by Cheops’ successors.

▪ The second and largest, in the
center, was built by King
Khafre, King Cheops’s son.

▪ The third and smallest was
built by King Menkaure,
Chefren’s son.

▪ The third and smallest was
built by King Menkaure,
Chefren’s son.
▪ Collectively, the three are
referred to as the Pyramids at
Giza.

▪ All the pyramids were
designed as part of a dynastic
funeral complex for the burial
of the pharaohs.

of the pharaohs.
▪ Today, Khafre’s complex is the
best preserved example.

of the pharaohs.
▪ Today, Khafre’s complex is the
best preserved example.
▪ His complex consist of three
interconnected units:
❖ A valley temple by the Nile
where the pharaoh’s body
was embalmed
❖ A pyramid mortuary
temple for rituals
❖ A long narrow causeway
connecting the two

The Great Sphinx

The Great Sphinx
▪ Also located at Giza is the
Great Sphinx with the body of
a lion & the head of Khafre.

The Great Sphinx
▪ The reason for its
construction & its purpose
are unclear.

The Great Sphinx
are unclear.
▪ A theory holds that it was
produced from leftover
pyramid materials that were a
applied to an existing stone.

The Great Sphinx
are unclear.
▪ A theory holds that it was
produced from leftover
pyramid materials that were a
applied to an existing stone.
▪ It may also have been carved
to stand guard over the
temple & tomb of Khafre.

▪ How were the pyramids constructed?

▪ There is no completely certain knowledge about the method
of construction used to create the pyramids.

▪ That said, scholars estimate that roughly 100,000 men worked
3-4 months each year for 30 years to build the pyramids.

▪ The material used to construct the pyramids was limestone
quarried from nearby & transported by lever action.

▪ The material used to construct the pyramids was limestone
quarried from nearby & transported by lever action.
▪ Pyramid construction workers were paid in food, clothing &
drinks.

▪ The Pyramids at Giza were
built to contrast the vast
Saharan desert landscape
that surrounds them.

▪ For structures to be visible in
the immense desert, they had
to be built on a huge scale.

▪ The pyramids were a product
of the will to achieve
immortality by the pharaohs.

▪ The pyramids were a product
of the will to achieve
immortality by the pharaohs.
▪ The pyramids were built with
such monumentality because
they were the everlasting
homes of the pharaohs’ kas.

The Period of Pyramids Passes

▪ With King Menkaure’s death, the era of the pyramid ended
for the most part.

for the most part.
▪ More pyramids were built by later pharaohs, but they were
smaller & less complex.

for the most part.
▪ Also, later pharaohs could not afford the cost of huge
pyramid construction.

for the most part.
▪ Of even greater concern, ancient grave robbers quickly
learned how to break into the pyramids & steal the goods
buried with pharaohs.

for the most part.
▪ Of even greater concern, ancient grave robbers quickly
learned how to break into the pyramids & steal the goods
buried with pharaohs.
▪ The end of the Old Kingdom therefore marked the end of
the great era of Egyptian pyramid construction.

Arh1000 architecture of the afterlife embalming & tombs in ancient egypt

Arh1000 architecture of the afterlife embalming & tombs in ancient egypt

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