Egyptian Afterlife Beliefs
Egyptian Afterlife Beliefs
The Egyptians had really complex beliefs about life after death. Death was not considered to be the end of one’s life, rather it was considered to be a necessary process that one has to go through in order to enter a dimension of complete bliss and eternity. However this was dependent on the way the individual live their lives. The Egyptians have their own criteria for judgment according to which each individual will be judged and awarded his destination in the afterlife.
The afterlife was known by many different terms such as "Field of Offerings" and "Rushes". The Egyptians spent their life preparing for life after death. According to the ancient mythology all individuals would enter the underworld, which was a terrifying dimension which every individual dreaded. The underworld had its own tests which the individual had to overcome in order to proceed to the blissful afterlife.
Religion played an important role in all aspects of life for the Egyptians. Their religion was polytheistic in nature and had many different deities that were assigned different responsibilities and domains of creation. The gods were classified into different categories. Amongst them were gods that solely governed the underworld. Egyptians priests developed many myths and legends concerning life after death and it was these stories that dominated the Egyptian afterlife beliefs.
Upon death the soul would enter the underworld where he would have to pass certain tests and then reach his judgment day. This would take place in the Hall of Two Truths. Anubis was a jackal headed deity considered to be the god of the dead. He would be the judge along with forty two other deities and judges that would judge each soul.
The worth of the soul would be valued with a set of scales that would be placed on his heart. All the good deeds and bad deeds performed by the individual would then be placed on these scales and then he would be judged according to their criterion, which was the Ma’at. Ma’at was considered to be the goddess of justice and was symbolized by a feather. Depending upon which scales were heavy the soul would be made to proceed to its final destination. Those souls whose scales of good had outweighed their scales of bad would be granted permission to enter the blissful afterlife. On the other hand those whose scales of bad deeds were heavy would be handed over to the Devourer of the Dead, which was the Egyptian equivalent of hell.
The concept of
continuation of life
in The Ancient Egyptians Beliefs
The Ancient Egyptians realized that life is a continuous process and will not be interrupted by the phenomenon of death. Awakening the conscience is a purifying process that supports man to lead a fruitful spiritual life.
Having realized that life on earth is a path to the other life, the Ancient Egyptians related between what man sows here on earth and what he will reap in the afterlife. Therefore, man should lead a pure life with high morality in order to enjoy the lasting life. To serve that idea, they materialized evil and goodness in the form of Set and Osiris. The benevolent Osiris was killed by his Brother Set, yet Isis the wife collected her husband's scattered pieces of flesh and put them together. As as result, he was resurrected. Through a certain mystic way of communication, Isis got pregnant, and gave birth to Horus. The son decided to avenge his father's death. The fight between Horus and Set took place then and would continue. This fight is the part and parcel of the earthly life.
continuation of life
in The Ancient Egyptians Beliefs
The Ancient Egyptians realized that life is a continuous process and will not be interrupted by the phenomenon of death. Awakening the conscience is a purifying process that supports man to lead a fruitful spiritual life.
Having realized that life on earth is a path to the other life, the Ancient Egyptians related between what man sows here on earth and what he will reap in the afterlife. Therefore, man should lead a pure life with high morality in order to enjoy the lasting life. To serve that idea, they materialized evil and goodness in the form of Set and Osiris. The benevolent Osiris was killed by his Brother Set, yet Isis the wife collected her husband's scattered pieces of flesh and put them together. As as result, he was resurrected. Through a certain mystic way of communication, Isis got pregnant, and gave birth to Horus. The son decided to avenge his father's death. The fight between Horus and Set took place then and would continue. This fight is the part and parcel of the earthly life.
Out of this myth, the Ancient Egyptians reached the ethical principles of virtue and malice. Osiris as representative of virtue did not die, so he lives on in the afterlife and he is portrayed as the judge in the day of doom. He rules according to the law of Truth which is symbolized by Ma'at. Ma'at is present in that day through an ostri ch feather, against which the heart of the deceased is weighed.
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