Karnak Temple, Luxor and the Tomb of Ramesses III, Valley of the Kings
Ancient Egypt is known for its massive temples and spectacular tombs where gods and the deceased were worshipped and honored.
Stele dedicated to Osiris and the gods of Abydos by the standard-bearer of King Akhepura-men-sou-iam (Règne d’Amenhotep II (vers 1450-1425 avant J.-C.)) by AnonymeMusée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
However, veneration was also carried out more privately, among communities and families, through household cults.
Page from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer (-1285/-1285)British Museum
Death is not the End
An important part of the ancient Egyptian worldview was that death is not the end. The deceased were resurrected in the afterlife, and could continue to participate in the social lives of the living.
Stela Dedicated to the Deified King Amenhotep I and Queen Ahmose Nefertari (-1292/-1190)American Research Center In Egypt (ARCE)
It seems that people would venerate not only deceased family members, but also local ancestors such as well-respected officials, even royals that were deified after their deaths, as was the case with Amenhotep I and Ahmose-Nefertari.
View of Deir el MedinaAmerican Research Center In Egypt (ARCE)
In particular, many artifacts have survived from the village of Deir El Medina, the home of the artists and craftsmen who built the tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
Painted limestone ancestor bustBritish Museum
To honor their deceased relatives, families set up stelae and bust statuettes and sometimes offering tables at their homes or at the deceased's tomb.
Stela of the Overseer of the Fortress Intef Stela of the Overseer of the Fortress Intef (ca. 2000–1988 B.C.)The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The stelae usually represent the deceased before a table of offerings, often sniffing a lotus flower, a symbol of resurrection.
Special rituals and texts tie the deceased with the gods of the afterlife, infusing them with the power to intervene in the activities of the living and act as intermediaries between the worshippers and the gods.
Stela of the lector priest of Amun Siamun and his mother the singer Amenhotep (ca. 1420 B.C.)The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Families would make offerings of food, libations, and incense to statues or images of the deceased and also visit their tombs, much like people do today.
Jar Stand Inscribed with Hieratic Letter to the Dead (First Intermediate Period, Dynasty 11, 2199-1976 BC) by UnknownInstitute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum
People also wrote letters to their dead relatives, asking them for protection or assistance in everyday matters.
Ancestral Bust (ca. 1320–1237 B.C.)The Metropolitan Museum of Art
These cults were not only important in keeping the memory of the dead alive, but also providing families with a sense of history and belonging.
Living with the Dead
The challenges of losing a loved one and dealing with grief are universal human experiences. But in ancient Egypt, deceased ancestors weren’t gone; they lived on as part of the household and community.
Story by Tessa Litecky
This story was created in association with a museum exhibition and academic conference titled Exalted Spirits: The Veneration of the Dead in Egypt through the Ages, jointly organized by The American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), The American University in Cairo (AUC), and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) in Egypt.
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