Providing for the Afterlife: Ancient Egyptian works from Eton College at the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum.

Providing for the Afterlife: Ancient Egyptian works from Eton College at the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum.  

Funerary Statue, ECM 1474, Wood, paint, Middle Kingdom, ca. 2055-1650 BCE,
H 14.0 cm x W 6.2 cm courtesy of the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum.
Many funerary objects were created expressly for the purpose of addressing the vital needs of the deceased in the afterlife. Chief among these concerns was reliable access to food and drink, which could be achieved through artistic representations of consumables, references to them in writing, or even offerings of actual foodstuffs. Depictions of individuals actively receiving offerings on stelae are accompanied by formulaic texts invoking the king and the gods that ensure a constant supply of requisite goods, while three-dimensional representations of Egyptians at work provide the skills and labor needed for continued food production. Being buried with personal objects allowed the deceased to take these cherished possessions with them to the afterlife. Items associated with personal adornment, such as the cosmetic items on display, were particularly favored.



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