Of all the ancient peoples, the Egyptians are perhaps best known for the fascinating ways in which they grappled with the mysteries of death and the afterlife. This beautifully illustrated book draws on the British Museum's world-famous collection of mummies and other funerary evidence to offer an accessible account of Egyptian beliefs in an afterlife and examine the ways in which Egyptian society responded materially to the challenges these beliefs imposed. The author describes in detail the numerous provisions made for the dead and the intricate rituals carried out on their behalf. He considers embalming, coffins and sarcophagi, shabti figures, magic and ritual, and amulets and papyri, as well as the mummification of sacred animals, which were buried by the millions in vast labyrinthine catacombs. The text also reflects recent developments in the interpretation of Egyptian burial practices, and incorporates the results of much new scientific research. Newly acquired information derives from a range of sophisticated applications, such as the use of noninvasive imaging techniques to look inside the wrappings of a mummy, and the chemical analysis of materials used in the embalming process. Authoritative, concise, and lucidly written, Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt illuminates aspects of this complex, vibrant culture that still perplex us more than 3,000 years later.

Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt

History

Taylor, John H.

Ancient Civilizations

University of Chicago Press

Since antiquity, mummies have inspired awe and endless fascination. Part of their enduring appeal lies in their capacity to let us confront people from the distant past as recognizable individuals, and even to look into the faces of some of the great rulers who shaped history 3,000 years ago. Mummies also have much to tell us about aspects of the lives of ancient Egyptians that are not recorded in writing: their appearance, their life expectancy, the diseases they suffered from, and how they died. As survivors from one of the world's most splendid civilizations, they bring us tantalizingly close to a long-lost culture.
In their own times, mummies were treated as objects of reverence, attracting teams of skilled embalmers and priests. But why exactly were mummies created? What did the Egyptians hope to achieve? What did they fear? These and other intriguing questions are answered in this absorbing history.
The story opens with the religious beliefs that lay behind mummification. Individual chapters then explore the evolution of preservation; adornment and magical protection; the symbolism of coffins and tombs; the rituals accompanying embalming and burial; and the role of animal mummies in Egyptian religion. In a final thought-provoking review, John H. Taylor traces our changing views on mummies, alongside the valuable role of modern research in expanding our knowledge, not only of ancient Egypt, but also of human culture as a whole.

Egyptian Mummies

University of Texas Press

Horemkenesi was an Egyptian priest and official who lived at Thebes in the eleventh century B.C. The unwrapping and scientific examination of his mummified body (the last such investigation to have been carried out in Britain) provided a rare opportunity to study the remains of a known historical figure using the most sophisticated technology and methods of analysis. By combining the results of this study with information from inscriptions on Horemkenesi's coffin and rock graffiti recording his work in the cemeteries of Thebes, it is possible to build up a fascinating picture of the life, death, and mummification of an ancient Egyptian. The first part of this book considers Horemkenesi's life and work against the backdrop of Upper Egypt in the troubled times of the early Twentieth Dynasty. The second part concentrates on the unwrapping of the mummy: its careful planning, how the delicate operation was carried out, and what discoveries were made. What did Horemkenesi look like? How old was he at death? What was the state of his health? Why did the embalmers not remove his brain, and why were his internal organs missing? These and other questions are answered in this stimulating book.

Unwrapping a Mummy: The Life, Death, and Embalming of Horemkenesi (Egyptian Bookshelf)

Politics & Social Sciences

Archaeology

Egypt and Nubia (British Museum)

Arts & Photography

Harvard University Press

Horemkenesi was a Theban official who lived in the 21st Dynasty. This book follows a team of archaeologists as they unwrap and investigate his mummy. The archaeological evidence of his burial and the inscriptions describing his life and duties reveal much about the Egypt of his time. However, it is the process of unwrapping his mummy and the subsequent scientific investigation that provide more information through the analysis of the bandaging, his body and the embalming techniques. What did Horemkenesi look like? How healthy was he? Did he have good teeth? What was his blood group? What was the cause and date of his death? All these questions can be answered fully in this book which is illustrated with step-by-step photographs. "Unwrapping a Mummy" is part of a series exploring themes of Egyptian life and culture in a format accessible to students and general readers with particular emphasis on the evidence from archaelogy.

Unwrapping a Mummy (Egyptian Bookshelf)

British Museum Pubns Ltd

In recent years, British Museum curators have collaborated with scientists and medical experts to find new ways of studying ancient Egyptian mummies. Ever-developing, non-invasive scanning techniques have produced astonishing results, allowing us to understand more clearly how people lived and died in the ancient Nile Valley. Piecing together key biographical data and information, it has been possible for the first time to discover more about who these people were in ancient Egyptian society, their status and beliefs. Eight significant mummies are ‘explored’, each carefully selected to tell a different story. They include a young female temple singer, an unknown man of high status, and a child from the Roman era. For each of the mummies featured, a personal profile is built up, leading on to an investigation of a particular aspect of life or death in the ancient society to which they belonged. Diet, disease, personal adornment and childhood are just some of the themes covered and help to remind us that all the mummies were once living people. CT scans have revealed a wealth of information, such as the health problems that the individual must have suffered during life, age at death and sometimes cause of death, the manner of mummification and on occasion irregularities in the process. Illustrated throughout with astonishing CT images (segments and 3D models), the book reveals each stage of the virtual unwrapping. As each layer is removed, the reader is able to observe the bandages, skin, muscles, skeleton and internal organs, as well as any objects placed inside the mummies. Technology is transforming our understanding of these past inhabitants of the Nile valley, refining previous interpretations and providing answers to long-held questions. In some cases, we have at last been able to ‘see’ the person behind the mask. Funerary objects are also highlighted for context: for example, non-invasive imaging of the contents of canopic jars; analyses of embalming substances, and identification of wood species and pigment types used in coffins. The majority of the material is drawn from the British Museum’s extensive Egypt and Sudan collections. With over 200 specially commissioned photographs, Ancient Lives, new discoveries sets out to shine a new light on the past. Table of Contents Contents Forewords Introduction 1 A man preserved in the sand Diet and nutrition 2 A man embalmed for the afterlife Canopic jars Disease and medicine 3 Tamut: A high-ranking priest’s daughter 4 Padiamenet: A temple doorkeeper 5 Tjayasetimu: A young temple singer Hair and wigs 6 An unusual mummy from the Roman period 7 A young child from a wealthy family Childhood 8 A Christian woman from Sudan Ancient faces Acknowledgements Further reading Index

Ancient Lives New Discoveries: Eight Mummies, Eight Stories

Antoine, Daniel

BRITISH MUSEUM

Of all the ancient peoples, the Egyptians are perhaps best known for the fascinating ways in which they grappled with the mysteries of death and the afterlife. This beautifully illustrated book draws on the British Museum's world-famous collection of mummies and other funerary evidence to offer an accessible account of Egyptian beliefs in an afterlife and examine the ways in which Egyptian society responded materially to the challenges these beliefs imposed.The author describes in detail the numerous provisions made for the dead and the intricate rituals carried out on their behalf. He considers embalming, coffins and sarcophagi, shabti figures, magic and ritual, and amulets and papyri, as well as the mummification of sacred animals, which were buried by the millions in vast labyrinthine catacombs.The text also reflects recent developments in the interpretation of Egyptian burial practices, and incorporates the results of much new scientific research. Newly acquired information derives from a range of sophisticated applications, such as the use of noninvasive imaging techniques to look inside the wrappings of a mummy, and the chemical analysis of materials used in the embalming process. Authoritative, concise, and lucidly written, Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt illuminates aspects of this complex, vibrant culture that still perplex us more than 3,000 years later.

DEATH & AFTERLIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT

For most ancient Egyptians, death was not an end; it was merely the entering of a new phase of being. The way to eternal paradise, however, was littered with obstacles, dangers and challenges, which could only be overcome with magical spells. Collections of these, known today as the Book of the Dead, were buried with the deceased to empower, protect and sustain him in the afterlife. Written on papyrus rolls and often beautifully illustrated, they provide a graphic and fascinating insight into ancient Egyptian funerary rituals and beliefs about the underworld. Among the known spells are those for obtaining air, food and water; for transforming your body into another form; for warding off hostile snakes and crocodiles; for preventing your heart from disclosing all your sins in a final judgement. Including details of the finely painted vignettes, this visually stunning book takes the reader on a remarkable journey from tomb to eternity. John H. Taylor is a curator at the British Museum specializing in ancient Egyptian funerary archaeology.

Spells for Eternity: The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead

History & Criticism

British Museum Press

Thebes is almost certainly the largest archaeological site in Egypt, and in recent years the tombs of the city's ancient inhabitants have been studied more intensively than ever before. This collection of essays reflects the current state of research on many aspects of the site, from the monuments of the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000 BC) to the people who live in the area in the present day. Together they present many new insights into the topography and history of the necropolis and the function and development of the various objects placed in the tombs, as well as offering valuable indications of the direction which future work might take. The majority of the papers were originally presented at an international conference held at the British Museum in July 2000.

The Theban Necropolis: Past, Present and Future

Strudwick, Nigel

For nearly 4,000 years Egyptians skilfully embalmed both human and animal bodies in accordance with beliefs about their destiny in the afterlife; many mummies are still so well preserved that we can extract evidence about ancient people's lives and even gaze on their faces. Presenting examples of the embalmer's art now in the British Museum, Taylor explains the mummification and burial processes and the techniques used to study mummies today.

Sociology

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Taylor, John H.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Taylor, John H.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Taylor, John H.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt

Egyptian Mummies

Unwrapping a Mummy: The Life, Death, and Embalming of Horemkenesi (Egyptian Bookshelf)

Egypt and Nubia (British Museum)

Unwrapping a Mummy (Egyptian Bookshelf)

Ancient Lives New Discoveries: Eight Mummies, Eight Stories

DEATH & AFTERLIFE IN ANCIENT EGYPT

Spells for Eternity: The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead

The Theban Necropolis: Past, Present and Future

Egyptian Mummies