Class Material: The Book of the Dead - National Geographic Film and Egyptian Secrets of the Afterlife - National Geographic Film

Ancient Egyptians believed that life was the most precious thing that a person could have, so to prolong it as much as possible, they prepared extensively for the afterlife. On a physical level, the ancient Egyptians took care to mummify the dead because they believed that souls needed a physical body to travel to the afterlife and enjoy food and drink. To them, death was not the end—it was just the beginning of a long journey to either salvation or annihilation. On a spiritual level, the ancient Egyptians believed that there were dangerous monsters and obstacles on this journey, pushing them to purchase a Book of the Dead while they were still living to help them fight these challenges. This funerary text armed them with spells to protect them, but their morality during their time on Earth mattered most at the end (shown in the photo above). In order to pass on to the field of reeds, their heart, the perceived center of intelligence and emotion, had to weigh the same as the goddess Maat's feather, which represented truth. It's clear that ancient Egyptians valued a long and moral life, and this hall of judgement can be compared to the pearly gates in Christianity.

According to the first documentary, "the scariest thing to ancient Egyptians was not to be punished, but to not exist." When read outside of the context of the afterlife, I think that this idea is very profound because it has transcended time: today, while people generally aren't preparing extravagant tombs to prolong their life, many fear death because it cuts their lives short and prevents them from fulfilling their potential. Many also fear having no purpose and drifting aimlessly through life without doing anything significant, which is another variation of "not existing." Personally, I don't believe in the afterlife. I too think that the ability to live is the most precious thing that a person could have, but to me, death is the absolute end where our souls fade away into the universe instead of traveling to an ethereal realm. In a way, it's like a cycle: we came from nothing, so our souls become nothing again when we die. I believe that what we do during our times here on Earth matters most, so we should live in the present instead of preparing for the afterlife.

I rather enjoyed the "The Book of the Dead" documentary for how it followed the lives of both an ancient Egyptian and English Egyptologist E. A. Wallis Budge. Slowly piecing everything together as they progress in their journeys keeps the audience interested and lends them a deeper understanding of both Egyptian culture and history. National Geographic's use of facts and opinions from experts like Carol A.R. Andrews and Dr. Salima Ikram also make the documentary more trustworthy, while the reenactments of ancient Egyptian society and Budge's explorations humanize the historical figures they speak of to deliver a greater impact on the viewer. The people who believed in the power of the Book of the Dead weren't just old people in the past—they were real people, with hopes and fears just like us. The documentary also showed actual artifacts, which further supplements the audience's learning and entertainment. Taking into account the flashy editing, it is clear that National Geographic's purpose was to educate people about Egyptian culture in an informational and fun way.