Tombs, Ushabtis and the Afterlife

[Toby Stimpson]

This is such a random question but I thought I would ask anyways.

I've been reading up on egyptian funeral practices... mummification, the various versions of the Book of Coming and Going, Tombs, Ushabtis and the like. And I was wondering for those who are followers of Egyptian religions... how do you envision your afterlife, and how are you planning on being buried?

I can imagine mummification might be difficult, but would you be buried with texts and essential personal items and maybe a small number of Ushabti servants? Just a thought :)

[Darth Brooks]

I can't answer this question from a strictly reconstructionist view, since I am not strictly a reconstructionist. But as a follower of Set, I am required to keep one foot in Egypt and the other in virtually every other culture, so to speak, considering that Set is the Patron of all that was foreign to Egypt. In this sense, a Setian/Sethian/Typhonian is at liberty to choose whatever funerary arrangements are most satisfactory to them, and while consideration of the native Egyptian funerary practices is always optional, it is never really demanded or required.

For my own part, I plan to be cremated. I don't see any point in being buried because first of all I will be dead, second of all dead people don't need plots in the ground. Though I am fond of cemeteries, I have never seen much point in being buried in one myself, because the way I see it, all that does is take up space. When I think about it, it seems nonsensical that all that land and property should be reserved for dead people, when there are plenty of living homeless people who have nowhere to go. All the land that is used for cemeteries could be used as shelters for the homeless instead. Of course this is a radical idea and I know better than to think that most people will agree. However, I do think cremation is one of the more considerate options - considerate in terms of time, space, and resources, of course.

Yes, I will be cremated, and though I might change my mind later (assuming, of course, that I don't die first), I think I'd like to have my ashes scattered throughout Death Valley, in much the same way that ol' Set scattered Osiris' dismembered remains throughout Egypt. The only things I will be taking with me to the other side are my Ozzy Osbourne and Alice Cooper collections. That's pretty much all I need. ;)

[OrionNeb87]

While I guess some would consider it cool to be mummified or buried with text and ushabtis, it really isn't neccessary to pass on into the afterlife since these things were primarily found in the tombs of royalty and the upper class and not those of the average Egyptian. I want my remains to be cremated and I would like my ashes placed in a wooden box with a small stone scarab. The box would double as a picture frame with an image of me to make up for my destroyed physical body.

[NefertSatSekhmet]

I want my remains to be cremated and I would like my ashes placed in a wooden box with a small stone scarab. The box would double as a picture frame with an image of me to make up for my destroyed physical body.

Oh my! That is almost exactly my wishes as well!

[OrionNeb87]

Oh my! That is almost exactly my wishes as well!

Oh wow, cool! :smile:

[David19]

I can't answer this question from a strictly reconstructionist view, since I am not strictly a reconstructionist. But as a follower of Set, I am required to keep one foot in Egypt and the other in virtually every other culture, so to speak, considering that Set is the Patron of all that was foreign to Egypt. In this sense, a Setian/Sethian/Typhonian is at liberty to choose whatever funerary arrangements are most satisfactory to them, and while consideration of the native Egyptian funerary practices is always optional, it is never really demanded or required.

For my own part, I plan to be cremated. I don't see any point in being buried because first of all I will be dead, second of all dead people don't need plots in the ground. Though I am fond of cemeteries, I have never seen much point in being buried in one myself, because the way I see it, all that does is take up space. When I think about it, it seems nonsensical that all that land and property should be reserved for dead people, when there are plenty of living homeless people who have nowhere to go. All the land that is used for cemeteries could be used as shelters for the homeless instead. Of course this is a radical idea and I know better than to think that most people will agree. However, I do think cremation is one of the more considerate options - considerate in terms of time, space, and resources, of course.

Yes, I will be cremated, and though I might change my mind later (assuming, of course, that I don't die first), I think I'd like to have my ashes scattered throughout Death Valley, in much the same way that ol' Set scattered Osiris' dismembered remains throughout Egypt. The only things I will be taking with me to the other side are my Ozzy Osbourne and Alice Cooper collections. That's pretty much all I need. ;)


While I guess some would consider it cool to be mummified or buried with text and ushabtis, it really isn't neccessary to pass on into the afterlife since these things were primarily found in the tombs of royalty and the upper class and not those of the average Egyptian. I want my remains to be cremated and I would like my ashes placed in a wooden box with a small stone scarab. The box would double as a picture frame with an image of me to make up for my destroyed physical body.


Oh my! That is almost exactly my wishes as well!

Can I just ask, does the physical body matter in modern Kemetic reconstructionism?, it's just I thought in ancient Egyptian beliefs, the physical body had to be preserved (which is the reason they performed mummification, I think?), do you still hold that view, or make arrangements for the lack of a physical body?.

Sorry to hijack the thread, btw.

[OrionNeb87]

Can I just ask, does the physical body matter in modern Kemetic reconstructionism?, it's just I thought in ancient Egyptian beliefs, the physical body had to be preserved (which is the reason they performed mummification, I think?), do you still hold that view, or make arrangements for the lack of a physical body?.

Sorry to hijack the thread, btw.

I did say I wanted an image of me on the box holding my ashes to make up for my destroyed physical body. See an image or even the person's name could be used in place of the physical body and were often made just in case the physical body was destroyed or could not be preserved. The thing is though, the average ancient Egyptian could not afford the luxury of being mummified (it was a luxury). They were remembered by those who survived them.

[Glowingsun]

If it really mattered I would want to be buried with my most cherished possessions. But even those are jeapordized or destroyed. My mask collectio is at a all time low. they keep breaking. However I don't need a tomb. I'm starting an ancestral home with the house i 've got.

[David19]

I did say I wanted an image of me on the box holding my ashes to make up for my destroyed physical body. See an image or even the person's name could be used in place of the physical body and were often made just in case the physical body was destroyed or could not be preserved. The thing is though, the average ancient Egyptian could not afford the luxury of being mummified (it was a luxury). They were remembered by those who survived them.

Sorry, I must have missed that, but, that's actually quite interesting, in Sumerian beliefs, the physical body also matters, the soul wouldn't get destroyed or anything, if the body was destroyed, but, it was barred from entering the afterlife and would roam the world, maybe seeking revenge, turning "evil", etc. I think, though, there is a way around that, which is similar to the ancient Egyptian belief, that a representation of the body can be buried (e.g. a statue, etc), and that way the ghost can enter the afterlife.

[OrionNeb87]

Sorry, I must have missed that, but, that's actually quite interesting, in Sumerian beliefs, the physical body also matters, the soul wouldn't get destroyed or anything, if the body was destroyed, but, it was barred from entering the afterlife and would roam the world, maybe seeking revenge, turning "evil", etc. I think, though, there is a way around that, which is similar to the ancient Egyptian belief, that a representation of the body can be buried (e.g. a statue, etc), and that way the ghost can enter the afterlife.

Yep, I'm glad there is a way around it as it is not always possible to preserve the physical body. :)