Study Guide Day 6: Old Kingdom Funerary Practices

Important names, terms, and concepts

stela/stelae

mastaba

false door

ka

ka statue

ba

mastaba tomb

views of the afterlife

funerary rituals

Study tip: Try to connect what you're reading in Grimal on Sakai and Baines to what you're reading in Lichtheim and what you're seeing on the websites. They all connect.

Discussion Questions

What are the essential elements of Old Kingdom beliefs about the afterlife, and how do funerary practices connect to those beliefs?

What do the readings in Lichtheim tell you about the lives of the people in whose tombs they were found? Note anything that strikes you as remarkable or interesting. I will call upon you in class to mention it.

What do the readings in Lichtheim tell you about the religious beliefs, views of the afterlife, and religious practices of these people?