Bell Ringer # 24 1. Which river flows through Egypt? 2. What is a benefit of the natural barriers around Egypt?

Agenda Bell Ringer Egyptian pyramids, gods, and mummies Notes Pyramids video clip How to Make a Mummy Reading Comprehension – Making Mummies

Egyptian Pyramids, Gods, and Mummies – Oh My!

Pharaohs Rulers in ancient Egypt were called pharaohs. The ancient Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was both a king and a god! Priests, or religious leaders, also had a lot of power.

Gods Like Mesopotamians, the Egyptians practiced polytheism – the worship of many gods. Religious beliefs played a major role in their lives.

Anubis, the god of death and mummification Ra, the sun god Anubis, the god of death and mummification Osiris, the ruler of the underworld

Isis, the goddess of motherhood and magic Horus, the god of the sky and pharaohs

Set, the god of chaos Amun, king of the gods Thoth, the god of knowledge

Egyptian Mythology Myths are stories that express the beliefs of a culture These stories explain the creation of the world and other things around them Click to learn about a creation myth from the ancient Egyptians

Pyramids Why were pyramids built? What could you find in a pyramid? To serve as tombs for great pharaohs. What could you find in a pyramid? Mummies and coffins, of course! Anything else that the pharaoh might need in the afterlife – food, jewelry, furniture, chariots, boats, games, statues, paintings, gold, and other treasures!

Pyramids Unfortunately, most pyramids and other tombs were broken into over the years by grave robbers who stole the priceless treasure that lay within.

Video - Inside the Great Pyramid Pyramids of Giza Video - Inside the Great Pyramid

Afterlife Much of Egyptian religion focused on their belief in the afterlife, or life after death. Egyptians believed the afterlife was a happy place where everyone was young and healthy!

Weighing of the Heart

Afterlife Egyptians believed that everyone had a life force called a ka. When a person died, his or her ka left the body and became a spirit. The ka remained spiritually connected to the body and had the same needs that the person had when he or she was alive. Bodies were buried with anything they might need in the afterlife – furniture, clothing, tools, jewelry, weapons, food and beverages!

Afterlife Egyptians believed that a body had to be prepared for the afterlife before it could be buried. This meant the body had to be preserved. If the body decayed, its spirit (ka) would not recognize it! Bodies were preserved by being embalmed and made into mummies.

How to Make a Mummy

What is a Mummy? A mummy is simply a body of a person (or an animal) that has been preserved after death. The process of preserving a body after death is called embalming.

Why Mummies? Egyptians believed that a person’s soul or spirit (ka) lived on after death. Bodies needed to be preserved so the soul could recognize it after death.

First things first! Wash the body. Remove the intestines, stomach, liver, and lungs. Leave the heart in the body – it’s important! Use a special hook to remove the brain and throw it out!

Gotta get everything dry so it doesn't rot!!! That took 40 days! Dry out the organs and put them in special containers called canopic jars. Stuff and cover the body with natron – a natural salt that would dry the body out. Let it sit for 40 days.

Next step, make it look nice! Make the body look as life-like as possible. Stuff it with linen, cover it in resin. You might even add a wig or some makeup – gotta look pretty in the afterlife!

They didn’t use toilet paper! Wrap the body in strips of linen to keep it protected.

Place amulets on the body and a death mask over the face.

Place the mummy inside a decorated coffin called a sarcophagus. Place the coffin and the canopic jars in the tomb. Pray that the mummy enjoys eternal rest!

Over time, they look like this: NOT LIKE THIS!

Seti I Tutankhamen (King Tut) Ramses II (Ramses the Great)

Pyramids, Gods, and Mummies – Oh My! Egyptians were polytheistic, which means they believed in many gods. They believed the pharaoh was both a king and a god. During the Old Kingdom, pharaohs were entombed in great pyramids. Because of their belief in the afterlife, the ancient Egyptians mummifed the bodies of their dead. Check out this online game about mummy making!

Class Website www.hagius.weebly.com