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Ancient Egyptians - Opening of the Mouth |
Opening of the Mouth Rites, Ceremony, Ritual and Offerings
Ancient Egypt - Opening of the Mouth Ceremony Fact Sheet Fact 1 on Opening of the Mouth: The rituals, ceremonies and offerings associated with these ancient Egyptian death rituals were documented via the funerary texts in tombs and ancient papyri and with another work entitled the "Book of Opening the Mouth" Fact 2 on Opening of the Mouth: The "Book of the Opening of the Mouth" described the rituals that consisted of offering a long sequence of foodstuffs, beverages, cosmetics and other consumables, along with a litany recited by the priests. Fact 3 on Opening of the Mouth: The ceremony included the rituals of the priests, sacrifices and magic incantations and spells and were believed to be essential to both the living and the dead. The ceremonies and rituals are believed to date back to at least the third dynasty. Fact 4 on Opening of the Mouth: The death rituals associated with important ceremony were conducted by properly qualified priests who were conversant with the correct order of procedures, the ceremonies, the spells and incantations and the correct offerings. Fact 5 on Opening of the Mouth: The purpose of the ceremony and the magic spells that were recited were believed by the ancient Egyptians to bring about the reconstitution and resurrection of the deceased person. Fact 6 on Opening of the Mouth: The ancient Egyptians believed that the soul consisted of different entities including the Ka and the Ba which had been temporarily separated from the deceased at the point of death. Each element of the soul had to be reunited to enable the deceased to enter the 'House of Reeds', the ancient Egyptian equivalent of a heavenly paradise Fact 7 on Opening of the Mouth: The ancient Egyptians believed that by conducting sacred ceremonies and rituals and reciting magic spells and formulae would bring back the Ka, or double, either to the dead man, from whom it had been temporarily separated, or to a statue which represented him. Fact 8 on Opening of the Mouth: When these sacred death ceremonies and rituals had been completed the ancient Egyptians believed that it was their solemn duty to provide offerings of food and drink for the maintenance of the parts of the soul called the Ka and Ba. Fact 9 on Opening of the Mouth: It was the Ka and the heart-soul, the Ba, which fed upon the offerings. If the offerings were unsuitable or of insufficient quantity meat and drink of a suitable character, and in sufficient quantity the Ka and Ba would suffer from hunger and thirst. Should the supply of offerings fail, the Ka and Ba would perish. Fact 10 on Opening of the Mouth: Texts relating to the Opening of the Mouth ceremony and rituals make it quite clear that the ancient Egyptians believed that the soul would only live as long as it was fed with offerings by the living and provided with a form of abode such as a statue. Ancient Egypt - Opening of the Mouth Ceremony Fact Sheet
Opening of the Mouth Rituals Opening of the Mouth Ceremony & Death Rituals Ancient Egypt - Opening of the Mouth Ceremony Fact Sheet Fact 11 on Opening of the Mouth: The essential offerings of food and drink were taken to the tombs on a daily basis and additional gifts for the deceased were presented on the days of all great ancient Egyptian festivals. Fact 12 on Opening of the Mouth: Offerings, prayers, hymns and recitals were commonly said by the Kherheb for kings and other members of the royal family and men of high civil and ecclesiastical rank. Fact 13 on Opening of the Mouth: The Kherheb, or Ker-Heb, was the title for the ancient Egyptian lector priests. The Kherheb priests were the masters of temple ceremonies, keepers of the religious texts and expert at reciting the religious texts. The Kherheb was responsible for overseeing that the funeral rituals, rites and ceremonies were conducted in the correct and proper order. Fact 14 on Opening of the Mouth: The magical and secret words spoken by the Kherheb, or the chief officiating priest, were believed to change the meat, and bread, and wine into divine substances. Fact 15 on Opening of the Mouth: Transmutation of offerings: The prescribed form of words used in the rites and rituals, included a formula which was said over separate offerings. The ancient Egyptians believed that this would change the offerings into a divine and spiritual food Fact 16 on Opening of the Mouth: The essence of the spiritual food which was consumed by the deceased and the souls of the gods. Fact 17 on Opening of the Mouth: The material elements of the offerings were eaten by the priests and the relatives of the dead. Fact 18 on Opening of the Mouth: The ancient Egyptians believed that the act of eating the food offerings brought them into communion with the deceased and with the gods. Fact 19 on Opening of the Mouth: Offerings: The offerings made during the death rituals included food, drink and various unguents. Specific items have been documented and include joints of meat, loaves of bread, cakes, beer, wine, cool water, oxen, geese, sweet things, fruit including raisins, figs and mulberries, incense, unguents, perfumes, plants and flowers. Fact 20 on Opening of the Mouth: Sacrifices: Living animals such as goats, gazelle, oxen, bulls, birds, calves, and sheep were brought to the tombs of the wealthy and offered up as sacrifices on their behalf. Ancient Egypt - Opening of the Mouth Ceremony Fact Sheet
Opening of the Mouth Ceremony and Rituals
Funeral Procession, entering the tomb Ancient Egypt - Opening of the Mouth Ceremony Fact Sheet Fact 21 on Opening of the Mouth: Opening of the Mouth ceremony: Seventy days after the death of an ancient Egyptian an elaborate funeral procession headed towards the designated tomb of the deceased where the ceremonies and rituals commenced. Fact 22 on Opening of the Mouth: Ceremony: The mummies of wealthy ancient Egyptians were usually placed in Anthropoid coffins (man-shaped coffins). Cosmetics were applied to the likeness painted on the anthropoid coffin and a copy of the Book of the Dead was placed on the mummy Fact 23 on Opening of the Mouth: Ceremony: The mummy, in its coffin, was held in the standing position, facing South, by the jackal masked impersonator of Anubis. The masked 'Anubis' was the Hery Sesheta embalming priest who worked with the embalmers and was present to read magical spells and prayers. Fact 24 on Opening of the Mouth: Ceremony: The entourage included close members of the family, priests, servants, torch bearers and musicians Fact 25 on Opening of the Mouth: Ceremony: Incense was burned and garlands of flowers were sometimes draped around the neck of the coffin. Fact 26 on Opening of the Mouth: Ceremony: Ritual Purification was conducted using salt and the milk of a cow. Various amulets or charms were used in the ceremony. Fact 27 on Opening of the Mouth: Ceremony: The Opening of the Mouth death rituals were performed using the main tools of the embalmer and the coffin maker including an adze, a spooned blade known as a peseshkaf and a serpent-headed blade Fact 28 on Opening of the Mouth: Ceremony: A priest touched the mouth, eyes, ears and nose with a ritual adze in order to awaken the senses of the deceased so the soul could accept the food offerings and sacrifices and have the ability to speak. Fact 29 on Opening of the Mouth: The ceremony involved up to 75 "episodes" and included the following phases: Fact 30 on Opening of the Mouth: Ceremony: When the Opening of the mouth death rituals had been completed the coffin containing the mummy was placed in a sarcophagus and sealed in the tomb Fact 31 on Opening of the Mouth: The Liturgy of Funerary Offerings was very long, but even so, it remained unaltered for nearly 4000 years. Ancient Egypt - Opening of the Mouth Ceremony Fact Sheet Opening of the Mouth Ceremony Opening of the Mouth Death Ritual |
