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Sarcophus of Nectanebo II
The sarcophagus was prepared for Egypt's last native pharaoh, Nectanebo II. Nectanebo's reign was cut short in the year 343 BCE, when the emperor Artaxerxes III restored Egypt to Persian rule. Nectanebo fled south, never to regain control. A decade later, the Persian Empire was overrun by Alexander the Great who boosted his title to Egypt's throne by claiming that Nectanebo was his father. In medieval times, the sarcophagus was reused as a ritual bath in the Atttarin Mosque at Alexandria (formerly the church of St. Athanasius, Plugholes were drilled at the bottom. The outside of the sarcophagus bears sections from a body of texts called Amduat, literally "that which is in the underworld". They describe the sun-god's nightly journey through the realm of Osiris, with 12 hours corresponding to different regions and challenges. The dead king would share in the deity's endless cycle of overnight regeneration The inside bears figures of funerary gods (now eroded), including Anubis, the Sons of Horus, and Isis and Nephthys at the head and foot ends. 30th Dynasty, reign of Nectanebo II, circa 360-343 BCE. From Attarin Mosque at Alexandria; originally from Samannud, Egypt. (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."
