death-afterlifeWe're still mapping where this idea was first discussed. Key passages and related ideas below.
The Opening of the Mouth
A ritual that gave the dead back their breath, their voice, and their senses.
Before burial, Egyptians performed the 'Opening of the Mouth' on the mummy and on tomb statues: a priest touched the mouth and eyes with special tools to magically restore the dead person's ability to breathe, speak, eat, and use the senses. Only then could the deceased benefit from offerings and live fully in the afterlife. The same rite could animate a statue or even a temple image.
Key passages(1)
The Pyramid Texts · 2350 BCE
Very high