Chapter 17

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One examples of the complex way in which Egyptians viewed the relationship of spiritual and material is that Bener said, "If you want Isis to suffer, you should take away all her cosmetics, her mirrors, her perfume of Mendes and oil of lilies, and her jewels and robes... Then we're but helping Isis to sail on the route to divine order and rightness as a servant of Maat" (264). The Egyptians believed that by taking away the material things, like those Isis was attached to, it helped one to be a better servant of maat and have a better relationship with the spiritual world. Another example is that the king "held a golden net such as would be used to catch harmful spirits in a magical ceremony" (270). He used a material thing to connect with the spiritual world so he could be protected from evil spirits. Egyptians also believed that they had to preserve a material body through mummification so the person could succeed in the spiritual afterlife. They wanted to take of of the physical body so that they could live a fulfilled spiritual life, and they painted on the tomb walls material things that would assist the pharaohs or noblemen in the spiritual world.

http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/egypt/mummies.htm

Eater of Souls page 264, 270, http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/egypt/egcr06e.shtml

Mary VanLoh