According to British anthropologist, Edward Tylor, culture is “that complex whole which included knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” (Ferraro, 18) Many cultures around the world have fascinating ceremonies and rites held for their dead but perhaps the most amazing is that of the ancient Egyptians. They are famous for their skillful embalming and their elaborate burial customs.The Egyptians believed that every person had a spirit that would live on after the human body died. The spirit would be able to move, eat, drink, and enjoy pleasures just like then the body was alive. But, in order to do this; the spirit had to have a recognizable body to dwell in. After the person died, the Egyptians believed that the spirit took two different forms: the ka and the ba.The ka was the person’s double, created by a god named Khnum. The ka lived in the body until death. It would continue to live after death if and only if it was provided with the exact same image of the dead person. Sometimes a statue would be used to house the ka, but a mummy was ideal. The ka also needed food and drink to survive. Therefore, the Egyptians left jars of grain and water in the graves.The ba was the other form of a person’s spirit. It was different than the ka in that it was able to leave the tomb. It could do this in any shape it pleased. However, the most common was a small bird with a human head that resembled that of the dead person. Without a mummy, there would be no ka and no ba. Death would be final, with no afterlife and this was something the ancient Egyptians could not accept.There were many gods that were important to the Egyptians but the most important was Osiris. The god Osiris was said to have triumphed over death, and every ancient Egyptian wanted to follow his example. Legend told that Osiris was a good pharaoh who was murde...
