Traditions die hard.
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| P/C David McEachan, from Pexels.com |
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| P/C Bera Yannick, from Pexels.com |
But it's clear that some traditions can last a long, long, long time. But how long?
I remember reading that ancient Egyptians would bring offerings of food, drink, clothing, and ointments to their departed leaders (as seen above). This ritual would happen daily when priests would attend to the tomb and make sure that those who have passed on would have sufficient food and goods to make it through the afterlife.
Since pyramids (and smaller mastabas) were intended to last forever, one has to wonder, how long did people keep bringing offerings to the tombs?
As we know, the "forever" thing didn't quite work out. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built as the tomb of pharaoh Khufu, who ruled during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Built around 2600 BCE over a period of about 26 years, it was apparently plundered by 1570 BCE. That leaves the obvious question--were priests and family members STILL making offerings?
Wondering about this leads to today's Challenge:
1. After the Pharaoh's death, how many years did people keep bringing offerings to the pyramids? Was it just a few years and then they gave up? How long did the offerings keep coming?
2. A related question: How were the people who were the bringers-of-offerings organized? Was there a central church organization or division of the government that handled such long-lasting affairs? What were these organizations called?
I'll show you my work next week, but in the meantime, do let us know how you did your research! We all want to learn the methods you used to get to the answer.
Keep searching!
