Food offerings-list in Saqqara private tombs during the old kingdom : religious significance

Abstract EN

he ancient Egyptians believed that netherworld was considered a continuation of life on earth and the deceased would enjoy in the after life the same privileges he had enjoyed upon earth , such as food and drink, the main requirements of the ordinary human beings.

Food was brought into the tomb chapel where it was offered to the deceased at his false door from which his double (J^5) would emerge to partake of the items spiritually.

The currcnt study was undertaken to determine the basic types of food - offerings during the Old Kingdom, specially in private tombs at Saqqara necropolis, to highlight the preferable tj^es of food and drink, to hi^ight the religious significance of some items of food - offerings.

To achieve the objectives of the study, the required data were collected from periodicals, the gyptian Museum catalogue and other references presenting offering scenes.

Preserving the scenes of food offerings on the walls of the private tombs at Saqqara belonging to the Old Kingdom contributed to the interpretation of all the data gathered from literature and scenes of food offering - lists on the walls of Saqqara private tombs dating back to the Old Kingdom.

The results indicated that the ancient Egyptians highly considered the religious significance of most of food offering - items, taking into account the quality of such items in order to enable the deceased to lead a peacefiil life, keeping him away from any evil spirit in the afterlife.

Keywords: Food, Offering, Lists, Food - Offering, Food Offerings - List, Ancient Egypt, Old Kingdom, Religious Significance.