Tag Archives: Ancient Egypt

Wolfgang Natlacen Brings Fun Whimsy to Funerals with Urns That Double as Toys

The artist's egg-shaped urns transform the way we mourn loved ones

Walk into most funeral parlors in the United States, and you’ll see rows of somber, muted urns resting on the display shelves. For centuries, Western culture has thought of funerals and funeral accessories as dignified and utterly sanitized. Any attempts at … Continue reading

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“Last Words” by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath's funeral poem imagines what her ideal burial would look like

Sylvia Plath was both haunted and mesmerized by death. Suffering from depression at an early age, Plath’s poetry deeply encapsulates how she felt about dying. Her depression often evaporated her fear of death, which gave her a novel perspective on … Continue reading

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Behind Death Masks: A History of How a Funeral Decoration Transformed Into a Tool to Improve Lives

The ancient funerary art of death masks allows us to look through the eyes of our ancestors

The practice of creating death masks to remember those who have passed is a ritual that can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Rome. The most recognizable death mask comes from the tomb of Tutankhamun himself. The likeness of … Continue reading

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The Chinchorro Created Mummies Thousands of Years Before the Egyptians

The ancient Chinchorro people from South America may have been the first to explore mummification

When most people hear the word mummification, they probably think of Ancient Egypt. They probably recall the Egyptian kings, their pyramids and their golden sarcophagi. But few people consider—or even know about—the Chinchorro people and their mummification practices. And why … Continue reading

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New Egyptian Tombs in Valley of the Kings?

Archeologists say there are royal tombs yet to be found in Egypt

The Valley of the Kings, Egypt – Archeologists are saying that their newest exploration project will be “the most extensive exploration in the Valley of the Kings since Howard Carter’s time.” It was the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in … Continue reading

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Ancient Egyptian Burial Customs: Tombs and Mummification

The burial of Egyptian kings and commoners

Many of us are vaguely aware of the elaborate funeral customs of the ancient Egyptians. We’ve seen enthralling images of massive pyramids, ancient tombs, exotic mummies, and shining shrines to former lives. These elaborate customs were born of the ancient … Continue reading

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