Art History 4/12

Hello, 

Ancient Egyptian civilization was based on religion. The Egyptians belief in rebirth after death became their driving force behind their funeral practices, artwork, and overall way of life. The Egyptians believed that each human consisted of a physical body or spirit called the “ka” that lived on even after the physical body had passed. The preservation of the physical form was achieved through Mummification. Egyptians believed that being mummified was the only way to have an afterlife. Ancient Egyptians thought that the afterlife was a continuation of the life as they knew it, thus regardless of social status, they included goods for the deceased. Some of the richest individuals that were buried such as kings and queens had larger quantities of luxury items and more elaborate coffins. The craftsmanship and time put into these coffins is shown in young king Tutankhamun’s tomb. (Image: Art A Brief History, Stockstad, Cothren page 72). The inner coffin of Tutankhamun’s tomb had a gold inlaid with glass and semiprecious stones and weighed nearly 243 lbs. The symbolic inscriptions and different displays on the tomb were specific to that individual inside and showed what was their status in society was and what they represented. 

The ancient Egyptians view on the afterlife in regards to burial rituals and beliefs is not that far off to what is accomplished in today’s society. After death, the Egyptians looked forward to continuing their daily lives as an invisible spirit among their descendants on Earth in Egypt, enjoying all the pleasures of life with none of its pain or hardships. In today’s popular burial process of cremation, ones ashes are spread around within the countryside, letting the individuals be one with the Earth and live on with family members in the form of an invisible ghost or spirit.  

As a society we try to commemorate the life of the tomb owner with the supplies necessary for the afterlife. Whether we have simple burial sites in the form of graves, urns, or even coffins sometimes just as expensive as those gold coffins of yesteryear, we mimic a lot of traditions from ancient Egypt. 

A specific object that is around today that I personally associate with the afterlife is the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The sheer size of this statue makes it stand out and the location at the top of a small mountain is two important aspects to this piece. The way the arms are open signifying acceptance and forgiveness to the clean and simple lines with the only color being white, which signify purity. The Christ the Redeemer statue has been portrayed in several movies such as the animated movie “Rio” for the kids and for adults in the video game franchises Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. This structure and many more just like, symbolize something in some form or another with the afterlife being the main message throughout.  

Kyle Thompson