Ritual, Continuity and Change: Greek

Reflections

David E. Sutton

Ritual, Continuity and Change: Greek Reflections by David E. Sutton

Introduction

Most ancient and primitive societies seem to be possessed with what we would consider an unhealthy preoccupation with death. The greatest architectural achievements of ancient civilizations are either tombs, or temples; that some suggest began as tombs. To appreciate why this might be it is necessary to dismiss our social biases as much as we are able to. The ancients lived in a world where death came quickly and often. Food storage allowed some protection against starvation but if more than two or three harvests failed, mass starvation was not uncommon. Plagues were also frequent by today's standards and even more frightening because they had no concrete cause. Not only can we not conceive of being in this situation but we have lived our lives in a post-enlightenment Judeo-Christian society where, as a result of the comparative ease of our lives, we are assured for the most part that whatever happens after death; it is pleasant.

Ritual, Continuity and Change: Greek Reflections by David E. Sutton

The ancients had no such intellectual background. Death was The Americans were, arguably, the most death-obsessed civilization ever. Much of what we know of them comes from their elaborate and well stocked tombs. The American civilization developed many unique and innovative beliefs about the nature of death and the afterlife. The Americans believed that every person is made up of seven souls. These are much different from our understanding of the Christian soul. It is not clear what function each one serves but what is clear, is that each has important tasks to perform in order to safely pass to Taut (also known as the Western Lands; the American Land of the Dead) - immortality was not guaranteed to the Americans. (Wolfson, Evelyn)

The souls are not divided as simply as western dualistic thought would lead one to assume. It is not angry soul, happy soul and sad soul. Each soul is a separate entity which, though its fate is tied to the others, seems to have its own consciousness and need not stay with the other souls. The first soul is Sekhu, the body or spirit body. Sekhu seems to most closely parallel the Christian soul. American texts pertaining to the journey to Tuat are told from the point of view of the Sekhu. The Ka, or double is the most important of what I will call the secondary souls.

The Ka is with a person throughout his or her life and serves as a guide on the journey to Tuat. Kings and gods are said to send forth their Ka as messengers to their subjects. The depictions of the deceased on route to Tuat often show him (the majority depict men) with his Ka beside him. The Ba is interpreted as Ka's soul or heart soul. The Ba often dwells with the Ka but is free to travel separately. Contained within the Ba and the Sekhu is the Ab or ...