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Egyptian Funerary Objects

A Trove of Symbolism and History

Egyptian Funerary Collectibles

Ancient Egypt has long been a source of mystique and wonder for collectors from around the world.

A Stone Relief Depicts a Member of Ancient Egyptian Royalty

The myths, beliefs and practices of Ancient Egyptians are the subject of great scholarly study.

Although Ancient Egyptians were artisans and mathematicians, leaving behind a sizeable collection of artifacts of all kinds, it is their elaborate funeral customs that draw much of our collective imagination.

Here is a brief guide to the funerary collectibles of Ancient Egypt.

Amulets

Amulets were believed to provide powerful magical and spiritual protection and guidance. At burial, amulets were generally wrapped inside mummification wrappings next to the deceased’s heart.

These amulets featured precious or semi-precious stones, each of which was believed to impart a unique magical protection in the afterlife.

Many also depicted figures or carvings of animal-headed gods or goddesses, particularly those that governed the afterlife.

Canopic Jars

Canopic jars held the dried, mummified organs of the dead. They are modeled after the figures of the god designated to protect each organ,

Predynastic Pottery, Crocodiles in the Nile, Nadaqa I

These gods, all sons of Horus, had different heads that were replicated in the stopper of the jar.

These stoppers therefore had the form of a human, jackal, falcon, or baboon.

Household Goods

Ancient Egyptians believed that the deceased had a long journey ahead. Therefore, it was common to bury an assortment of household goods to aid them in their travels.

The wealth of the deceased’s household reflected the quantity abd quality of the goods that were included.

Minimally, such objects as bowls and combs as well as food were provided. Wealthier Egyptians were often buried with elaborate jewelry, scarabs, furniture and other works of art.

Statuary

Beginning in the Old Kingdom, Egyptians were often buried with small wooden statues.

These statues depicted the sorts of activities that the deceased would perform in the afterlife. Many of these were common agricultural tasks, as it was believed that the deceased would be expected to work in the afterlife as he had in life.

A View Inside the Tomb of Iasen

In the New Kingdom, shabti statues were added. It was believed that these statues would assist the deceased with his afterlife work.

Some more elaborate burials included as many as 400 of these wooden assistants.

In addition, magical figurines were often included to provide increased protection and assistance in the afterlife.

Literature

Before a mummy was buried, it was symbolically reanimated by a priest. Spells were cast to ensure that the deceased would be able to breathe, speak, walk and use all of its body parts in the afterlife.

However, it was also believed that the afterlife could be quite complex and confusing.

Therefore, mummies were often provided with funerary literature that contained spells and instructions for navigating the afterlife.

These texts gradually developed into the now-legendary Book of the Dead.

There was not a single, standardized Book of the Dead, nor was it believed to be a divine revelation in the manner of the Christian Bible.

Instead, the Book was adapted and changed over time and between locations.

The visual artworks were considered far more important than the accompanying text, and many surviving copies show major errors in spelling, word omissions and even incorrect text.

Above are examples of popular Egyptian funerary collectibles. Many of these items have been forever lost to grave robbers, and many more are in the collections of famous Egyptian museums (those pictured here are replicas copied from museum collections).

If you have the opportunity to obtain an Egyptian funerary collectible, however, the guide above can provide some clues to its possible origins and meaning.