2a.

8 Funerary customs

Sample Answers- use to check your work

1. Do not complete

2. Papyrus scrolls such as the Book of the Dead, tomb decorations, coffins, the
preservation of bodies and the range of objects buried with the dead has taught us
about death and the afterlife of the ancient Egyptians.

3. Ancient Egyptians believed that the bodies of the dead should be preserved so that
they could live on in a similar way in the afterlife. The main methods of doing this
were burying the body in the hot, dry, desert sands or using embalming and
mummification.

4. The Book of the Dead consisted of scrolls of papyrus containing more than 200
spells. People recorded it or copied and used it to help survive the journey to the
afterlife.

5. The ‘opening of the mouth’ ceremony was performed by a priest. The priest touched
the ears, eyes, mouth, nose, legs and arms of the image painted on the coffin. The
purpose of these actions was to free the dead person’s senses so that he or she
would be able to hear, see, breathe, speak, smell and come to life again.

6. The ‘weighing of the heart’ was an important test because a person’s heart was
weighed against the feather representing Ma’at, the goddess of justice. If the person
passed the test (their good deeds outweighed their bad deeds), then they could pass
into the afterlife. If the person failed the test, he or she would be eaten by Ammit.
This might affect peoples’ behaviour while they were alive since it would motivate
them to lead good lives so that they would not be devoured by Ammit.

Develop source skills

8.

9. a) The sources include information about the following:

● The body was washed in palm wine.

● The brain was removed through the nose using a long hook.
● The contents of the stomach were removed.

Add three more……

b)
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2a.7 Religion
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