Image Gallery
Sarcophagus of Hapmen
Sarcophagus of Hapmen, found in Cairo, Ibn Tulun Mosque (reused as a ritual bath); original location is unknown. 26th Dynasty, c. 624-525 BCE.
All surfaces bear figures of gods and funerary texts. Near the head end, one side displays a false door with eyes, allowing the spirit free movement and sight. A spell from the Book of the Dead was thought to help it "come forth by day". The central figure on the long sides (one jackal-headed and one human-headed) is Anubis, the god of mummification. The Sons of Horus at the corners had to guard Hapmen's organs. The goddess Isis mourns at the foot end, as does her sister Nephthys on the head end (not visible). Many more deities appear inside. The floor displays the sky goddess Nut, who embraced Hapmen's mummy, so he could join the everlasting sun and stars. Remarkably, the figures and texts were copied from the sarcophagus of Thutmose III, a king of enduring fame who died a thousand years earlier. Hapmen, a treasurer, lived at a time of proud historical awareness. Thutmose's tomb in Thebes has already lain open for centuries, ever since priests had reburied him and other royals in a cache.
The British Museum, London.
Questions & Answers
How did the ancient Egyptians view death and the afterlife?
- The ancient Egyptians viewed death as a transition of the soul from the earthly plane to the next realm. Life was understood as an eternal journey, only part of which was lived on earth.
What is the afterlife called in ancient Egypt?
- The afterlife in ancient Egypt was known as the Field of Reeds and was understood as a mirror image of one's life on earth where one would live in the presence of the gods.
Who was the Judge of the Dead in ancient Egypt?
- The god Osiris was the Judge of the Dead in ancient Egypt.
What is the Egyptian Book of the Dead?
- The Egyptian Book of the Dead is an instruction manual for the soul after death to help it navigate the afterlife and find its way to the paradise of the Field of Reeds. It is not in any way the "Egyptian Bible."
