Democratisation of eternal life

Democratisation of eternal life

Only kings could have mobilised the people to build pyramids that allowed entrance to eternal life. However, with the fall of the Old Kingdom also the power of the kings was lost. Local men of power started behaving like kings streaming, among other things, towards eternal life for their souls. Since the period of Keops, noblemen were buried in mastabas (Mastaba (arap. stuba) – stone tomb with oblique walls and deep reaching underground premises.) in the immediate vicinity of pyramids in order to participate in their immortality.

It is in that way that a certain “democratisation” of eternal life took place that can be identified since the period of the Middle Kingdom. Every single Egyptian (Naturally, farmers should be excluded from that cathegory as they probably had very modest burials) wished to be mummified and buried in a tomb with all the rituals in order to attain liberation of the soul following the model of ancient rulers.