The Egyptians had a lot of beliefs about death and the afterlife. The differences between the cultures view of the afterlife effect their society"s art, sculpture and architecture. How teachers and students can make the quick transition to online learning; 12 March 2020. A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Our knowledge about the Mesopotamian afterlife beliefs comes from literary texts recorded on cuneiform clay tablets and most of this material is Sumerian. Death itself was not the end – it was considered to be only a short interval between physical life and entering the afterlife, the Duat. Death and Afterlife in Ancient Egyptian Society and the Mesopotamian Society There were many ways that the Ancient Egyptian society and the Mesopotamian society were similar yet at the same time they were very different. Egyptians believed that only the pharaoh could become one with the gods. The Egyptians had a lot of beliefs about death and the afterlife. For those who were concerned about this test, they could recite the spell (usually Spell 30B from the Book of the Dead) inscribed on their heart scarab amulet to prevent their heart from ‘betraying’ them. During this interval the proper mummification was performed, and you rested, waiting for revivication. Egyptians and Sumerians agreed on religion in a sense that both cultures were polytheistic. It also reflects the culture"s environment. To an ancient Egyptian afterlife was a positive thing. Egyptian belief in the afterlife and the importance of funerary practices is evident in the great efforts made to ensure the survival of their souls after death - via the provision of tombs, grave goods and offerings to preserve the bodies and spirits of the deceased. The ancient Egyptians' attitude towards death was influenced by their belief in immortality.They regarded death as a temporary interruption, rather than the cessation of life. RANKED SELECTED SOURCES KEY TOPICS Unlike the rich corpus of ancient Egyptian funerary texts, no such "guidebooks" from Mesopotamia detail the afterlife and the soul's fate after death. Blog. We are a non-profit organization and we would rather spend the money on our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. In mesopotamia there was not as much of a happy outlook on life after death as in Egyptian mythology. If the scales were balanced, the deceased had passed the test and was taken before Osiris who welcomed them into the afterlife. To survive in the afterlife, the ka needed the corpse to remain intact, and that was only possible through technique of mummification. The noble people, such as pharaohs, received tombs and anything that was believed they would need in the afterlife. The Afterlife Egyptian Afterlife - The Field of Reeds. 13 March 2020. This can be seen in Gilgamesh, Anpu & Bata, Hatshepsut goes to punt, a dialogue/Dispute with the soul. The difference between Sumerians and Egyptians are various as they were part of two different civilizations.It is a well-known historical fact that both Sumerian and Egyptian were great ancient civilizations. To ensure the continuity of life after death, people paid homage to the gods, both during and after their life on earth.When they died, they were mummified so the soul would return to the body, giving it breath and life. Death itself was not the end – it was considered to be only a short interval between physical life and entering the afterlife, the Duat. “The Death of Urnamma,” a Sumerian literary text, describes a Mesopotamian king’s journey to the Underworld. An essay or paper on Sumerian and Egyptian's literature about Afterlife. According to the Sumerian belief, after death, people would take a journey to the Underworld, a … For the Mesopotamians the dead simply resided in the realm under the earth ruled over by the gods nergal and erishkegal if I'm not mistaken. This bleak domain was known as Kur,: 114 and was believed to be ruled by the goddess Ereshkigal. Fundraiser: Server Costs 2020. Sumerians vs Egyptians . First, he offered gifts to its gatekeepers. To an ancient Egyptian afterlife was a positive thing. The Egyptian and Mesopotamian View of the Afterlife The Egyptians’ view of the afterlife contrasts with the Mesopotamian’s view in that the Egyptians believed in the afterlife as a continuation of life on earth and the Mesopotamians believed life after death would be a miserable existence. When anyone else died they passed into a dark place that represented the opposite of life. Please help us cover our server costs for this year. The Sumerian afterlife was a dark, dreary cavern located deep below the ground, where inhabitants were believed to continue "a shadowy version of life on earth". The Egyptian and Mesopotamian View of the Afterlife The Egyptians’ view of the afterlife contrasts with the Mesopotamian’s view in that the Egyptians believed in the afterlife as a continuation of life on earth and the Mesopotamians believed life after death would be a miserable existence. According to the Ancient Egyptians, the body was made up of several parts: the ba or soul, the ka or life force, and aj, the force of divine inspiration of life. During this interval the proper mummification was performed, and you rested, waiting for revivication.