Life After Death in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptians believed that their souls would continue to live in the underworld after death.
Therefore, most Egyptians desired burial near relatives and friends.
They were buried with prized possessions, such as jewelry, for use in the afterlife.
Pharaohs, accustomed to the finest things in life, brought them into the afterlife via elaborate tombs.

Some tombs, like Khufu’s Great Pyramid at Giza, were large and visible as displays of power.
Others, like King Tutankhamen’s tomb, were maze-like and hidden in cliffs to deter thieves.
Construction of pharaohs' tombs often began long before they took the throne, taking years to complete.
Tombs were filled with statues, jewelry, and paintings celebrating the pharaoh’s life.

Upon a pharaoh's death, skilled priests mummified the body to prevent decomposition.
Mummification involved embalming, drying, and wrapping the body.
After the ritual, the body was placed in a coffin and carried to the tomb.
Egyptians from all social classes were mummified to prepare for the afterlife.
However, the cost and time (up to several months) meant only the wealthiest received treatment similar to pharaohs.
Poorer Egyptians were buried in simple graves with a few possessions.

Thousands of years after the end of the last Egyptian dynasty, artifacts, writings, and mummies in these tombs continue to provide new details about life in ancient Egypt.