Burial In Different Cultures Mythology Essay Research

Burial In Different Cultures ( Mythology ) Essay, Research Paper

Burial in Mythology

& # 8211 ; Practices of the Ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman Cultures & # 8211 ;

Ancient Egyptian and Classical patterns of fixing the dead for the following cradle of humanity are really challenging. These two civilizations differ in amultitude of ways yet similarities can be noted in the sphere of funerary services. In the kingdom of Egyptian hereafter, The Book of the Dead canprovide one with critical information refering ritual burial practicesand myths of the hereafter. The extra press release I received fromTimothy Stoker besides proved to be utile in seeking uncover critical informationregarding the passage into another life.

Sing the burial practicesof Greece and Rome, parts of Homer & # 8217 ; s Odyssey are utile in the analysis ofproper interment methods. One peculiar method used by the Egyptians was an intricateprocess known as mummification. It was doubtless a really involved processspanning 70 yearss in some instances. First, all the internal variety meats wereremoved with one exclusion, the bosom. If the organic structure was non already West ofthe Nile it was transported across it, but non before the drying processwas initiated. Natron ( a particular salt ) was extracted from the Bankss of theNile and was placed under the cadaver, on the sides, on top, and bags of thesubstance were placed inside the organic structure pit to ease the procedure of desiccation. After 35 yearss the ancient embalmers would anoint thebody with oil and wrap it in all right linen. If the deceased was wealthyenough a priest wearing a mask of Anubis would preside over the ceremoniesto guarantee proper transition into the following kingdom. One of the patterns overseen by the priest was the placing of aspecial funerary talisman over the bosom. This was done in behest to procure asuccessful brotherhood with Osiris and their Ka. The talisman made certain the heartdid non talk out against the person at the graduated table of the goddess ofjustice and Godhead order, Maat. The priest besides made usage of a & # 8220 ; peculiarritual instrument, a kind of chisel, with which he literally opened themouth of the deceased. & # 8221 ; This was done to guarantee that the deceased was ableto speak during their journeys in Duat.

Another pattern used by the Egyptians to help the bygone soulinvolved mass human forfeit. Many times if a outstanding individual passedaway the household and retainers would wilfully consume toxicant to continuetheir servitude in the following universe. The household members and religiousfigureheads of the community did merely about everything in their power toaid the deceased in the passage to a new life. The community made sure the chamber was furnished with & # 8220 ; everything necessary for the comfort and wellbeing of the occupants. & # 8221 ; It wasbelieved that the person would be able of accessing these points in thenext universe. Some of the most of import things that the deceased would needto hold at his side were certain enchantments and conjurations. A conglomerationof reading stuff ensured a successful transition ; The Pyramid Texts, TheBook of the Dead, and the Coffin Texts all aided the lost psyche in theirjourney through Duat into the Fields of the Blessed. & # 8220 ; Besides all thesespells, appeals, and charming grave texts, the ancient pattern of depositingin the grave little wooden figures of retainers was employed. & # 8221 ;

These & # 8220 ; Ushabistatuettes & # 8221 ; as they are called, were basically slaves of the deceased.If the deceased was called to work in the Elysian Fieldss he would name uponone of the statues to take his topographic point and execute the undertaking for him. It wasnot unheard of for an person to hold a figure for every twenty-four hours of the yearto guarantee an afterlife devoid of physical effort. Merely about every thingthe embalmers and burial practicians did during the procedure was done forparticular grounds. Many of the funerary patterns of the ancient Greco-Romans werealso done with a specific intent in head. Unlike the Egyptian & # 8217 ; s theGreco-Roman civilizations did non use luxuriant graves but focused on the useof a simple cavity in the land. Right after decease, non excessively dissimilar fromthe patterns of the Egyptians, it was necessary for the individuals tocarefully wash and prepare the cadaver for his journey. It was critical field-grade officer

rall individuals to have a proper entombment and if they did non they were dammedto hover in a quasi-world, slightly of a “limbo” between life and decease. One Classical myth that illustrates this point is The Odyssey byHomer. There is a portion in Book 11 of the work in which Homerspecifically addresses proper burial rites. When Odysseus wishes tocontact Tiresias, he comes across Elpenor, one of his soldiers. Thisparticular adult male fell ( in a hit-or-miss manner ) to his decease on the island ofthe Kimmerians, but did non have a proper entombment and was stuck in limbo.Elpenor begged Odysseus and his work forces to return to the island and care forhis organic structure. Consequently, they did return and Elpenor passed into the nextworld. Most likely he was buried in the same manner other members of hissociety were ; a pyre was likely constructed and the organic structure placed upon it.Also placed on the pyre were points that the asleep held beloved in life withthe hope that they would follow him into the following universe.

In order tosurvive in the hereafter, the asleep & # 8220 ; is besides presented with a little coinwhich came to be known as the ferrying fee for Charon. & # 8221 ; This can belikened to the Egyptian pattern of presenting mintage into the grave insome instances. Homer besides speaks of the mind, which slips out of adult male & # 8220 ; at themoment of decease and enters the house of Ais, besides known as Aides, Aidoneus, and in Attic as Hades. & # 8221 ; This thought can be compared to the construct of anindividual & # 8217 ; s Ba in ancient Egypt. When person died, an ageless portion ofthem ( their Ba ) would besides steal out and seek out the persons spiritualtwin ( their Ka ) in order to unify with it and ease a successfulpassage.

Many times in myth, the life desired to talk with the departed.When Odysseus wishes to talk with the Nekyia in Book eleven, caprine animals must besacrificed and their blood was recognized as animating the asleep tospeak. The Egyptians besides were concerned with the ability of the deceasedto speak in the following kingdom ; this is exemplified in one of the mostimportant spells in The Book of the Dead, the gap of the oral cavity. When all the funerary rites had been done, the following measure was tomark the topographic point of the deceased. & # 8220 ; The grave is marked with a rock, thesign, sema. & # 8221 ; This grave rock would hold the name of the psyche, and oftensome type of quip in verse signifier. Constantly near the grave, some type ofguardian of the psyche would be located. Lion and sphinx were found as gravemarkers and this thought is paralleled in the patterns of the indigens ofEgypt. A certain & # 8220 ; cult image & # 8221 ; was buried with the deceased in Egypt inorder to look after and more significantly protect one & # 8217 ; s Ba from beingdisturbed. It besides acted as a type of & # 8220 ; purging valve & # 8221 ; for any Ba which mayhave been unjustly disturbed in the grave. Burial patterns aside one can observe an interesting difference between these two antediluvian civilisations. Differences can be observedconcerning how amicable the hereafter was. The Egyptians had a positiveoutlook. They believed that after one became Osirus, They would travel intoa new universe, which was nice, no 1 had to work, and everything was veryclean. One could compare their lives in the following universe with the kids & # 8217 ; sclassic board game, Candyland. In this game all was all right and bang-up, the & # 8221 ; wear & # 8217 ; t worry be happy & # 8221 ; attitude flourished, non distant from the life inthe Fields of the Blessed.

On the other manus, Greco-Roman hereafter was arather blue topographic point. The dead Achilles summed everything up by stating toOdysseus, & # 8220 ; Do non seek to do visible radiation of decease to me, I would earlier be boundto the dirt in the hire of another adult male, a adult male without batch and without muchto live on, than regulation over all the perished dead. & # 8221 ; Needless to state, theHomeric hereafter was no Candyland. Candyland or non, both civilizations went to extremes in order toguarantee a successful ocean trip into the following universe. The two ancientcivilizations hoped that through their intricate actions the individualwould be protected and prepared for their many experiences on & # 8220 ; the otherside. & # 8221 ; By looking at choices of Homer & # 8217 ; s Odyssey and The Book of theDead, one can pull many similarities between the two civilizations ; nevertheless, differences are besides evident due to cultural differences refering whatwould go on to the bygone psyche.