Mummification And Its Influence On Ancient Egyptian Culture

The ancient Egyptians had strong cultural beliefs that they never once questioned. Their traditions heavily influenced their everyday lives in religion, philosophy, and much more. They were pleased with the way their society was and never wanted it to change. Mummification was one of the most important beliefs that the ancient Egyptians had because it was believed to be the only way to access immortality. In fact, they believed that after they died their Ba, or spirit, would make a journey to the afterlife. However, they also believed that their spirit would have to work in the fields of Osiris, no matter the status rank. To prevent doing any labor, the deceased would bring servants with them to work in their place while they enjoyed their new lives in the afterlife.
The preservation of the human body, mummification, was reserved only for the rich and powerful. They would be buried in tombs, unlike the less fortunate who were buried in the sand of the desert. Mummification had many steps, which is the reason it took over two months to complete. However, the process ends with the body wrapped in a very thick layer of linen and a decorated burial mask placed on top of the bodies’ head and shoulders. The body would then be taken to its tomb and placed inside its casket. They would be buried with their belongings, like toys,

However, they divided into two groups: the overseers and workers. There was a total of 36 overseers, one of each group. There was also a total of 365 workers, one for each day of the Egyptian year. The workers were now considered more like slaves than servants. Most burials, no matter how wealthy, included a grand total of 401 Ushabti. They were also often bought in organized decorative boxes due to their large number. By the end of the Ptolemaic Period, the Ushabti was no longer in use because fewer people understood their uses