Overview

During these lessons, students will explore death and funerary customs in ancient Egypt. They will examine the background of the historian Herodotus and consider how this influenced his writing. Students will learn about the process of mummification and the ritual of the weighing of the heart scene, using a sample from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer.  

Learning intentions:   

• develop an understanding of the sources we use to learn about ancient Egyptian funerary customs and beliefs and what they tell us 

• recognise that developments in technology can change our understanding of the ancient world 

• consider the reliability of sources 

Success criteria:  

• create texts about the funerary customs and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians 

• explain how developments in technology can change our understanding of the past 

• make judgments about the reliability of ancient sources 

Syllabus content: 

• The significant beliefs, values and practices of the ancient society, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: warfare, or death and funerary customs (ACDSEH033, ACDSEH036, ACDSEH039)  

Students:  

• explain how the beliefs and values of the ancient society are evident in practices related to at least ONE of the following:  

• death and funerary customs 

Outcomes:  

• HT4-6 uses evidence from sources to support historical narratives and explanations  

• HT4-9 uses a range of historical terms and concepts when communicating an understanding of the past  

• HT4-10 selects and uses appropriate oral, written, visual and digital forms to communicate about the past   

Students will learn about the ancient historian, Herodotus and his work on geography in the ancient world. They will read about his background and the period in which he wrote and consider how this may have influenced his writing. Finally, students will make a judgment about using Herodotus as a reliable source for the geography of the ancient world. 

Content: 

• How historians and archaeologists investigate history, including excavation and archival research (ACDSEH001)  

Students:  

• describe and explain the different approaches to historical investigation taken by archaeologists and historians 

Outcomes:  

• HT4-6 uses evidence from sources to support historical narratives and explanations  

• HT4-10 selects and uses appropriate oral, written, visual and digital forms to communicate about the past   

Students will read Herodotus’ source about the different ways Egyptians mummified the dead and engage with scientific evidence about the process. Students will break down the steps of mummification in a table based on Herodotus’ account and the scientific evidence. Finally, students will make a judgment about the accuracy of Herodotus’ account of mummification, and what this tells us about how our understanding of the past can change over time.    

Content: 

• The significant beliefs, values and practices of the ancient society, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: warfare, or death and funerary customs (ACDSEH033, ACDSEH036, ACDSEH039)  

Students:  

• explain how the beliefs and values of the ancient society are evident in practices related to at least ONE of the following:  

• death and funerary customs 

Students will read about the ancient Egyptian funerary practice of the weighing of the heart. Then they will examine the Book of the Dead of Hunefer to gain an understanding of ancient Egyptian death and funerary customs. They will annotate the source, identify different deities and symbols and write a paragraph explaining what the scene tells us about ancient Egyptian funerary customs and beliefs. 

Content: 

• The significant beliefs, values and practices of the ancient society, with a particular emphasis on ONE of the following areas: warfare, or death and funerary customs (ACDSEH033, ACDSEH036, ACDSEH039)  

Students:  

• explain how the beliefs and values of the ancient society are evident in practices related to at least ONE of the following:  

• death and funerary customs 

Outcomes:  

• HT4-6 uses evidence from sources to support historical narratives and explanations  

• HT4-9 uses a range of historical terms and concepts when communicating an understanding of the past