User:Skibbitybop/Opening of the mouth ceremony

Opening of the mouth ceremony:

The opening of the mouth ceremony (or ritual) was an ancient Egyptian ritual described in funerary texts such as the Pyramid Texts.There is evidence of this ritual from the Old Kingdom to the Roman Period. It was believed to have allowed a deceased individual to have access to their basic senses for performing tasks in the afterlife. A variety of practices were done to the deceaseds corpse such as touching certain areas of the body like the eyes and mouth with various tools. These practices were typically associated with childbirth which symbolized rebirth and starting anew. For example, cutting bloody meat from animals as offerings for the deceased symbolized depictions of childbirth (which is typically bloody), and starting a new life. Other tools such as the Peseshkef were thought to have had an original use for cutting the umbilical cords of infants, further symbolizing the concept of "rebirth".

Religious significance [edit]

Model of the "Opening of the Mouth" peseshkef and drinking cups MET DP112576

The ancient Egyptian belief in an afterlife that mirrored earthly life was the foundation for the significance of the Opening of the Mouth ceremony. The Egyptians held the belief that the afterlife was a continuation of earthly existence and that the deceased required their senses to experience life's pleasures and experiences.

In addition to this, the Egyptians believed that before entering the afterlife, they would have to endure a series of difficult challenges in the duat, such as avoiding dangerous creatures and traps. To plan themselves for this, the individual would have instructions written on their sarcophagus for the best way to avoid these risks, these are found in the coffin texts. However, they would need access to their fundamental senses in order to navigate. It was thought that the opening of the mouth ceremony gave the person's spirit access to these senses and needs after they died. Breathing, speaking, seeing, eating, and drinking are examples of these necessities. Reciting spells and declaring their innocence in front of the gods after navigating the duat would also require the individual to be able to see, speak, and hear. In addition, it was believed that they were given saltwater, milk, and water when they entered the underworld to represent rebirth (similar to how infants drank their mothers milk as their first source of nutrition). They would need the ability to drink for this purpose.

Special tools:

Statues: The ceremony was previously only done on statues, shabtis, and temples, yet transitioned through the middle and new kingdoms to be done mainly on corpses. However, if somehow the dead body was destroyed or was unretrievable, it was believed the statues and shabti's could be used as a replacement. Some texts of the ceremony such as in the tomb of Rekhmire describe this and use the instruments to touch the statue in the appropriate places of it body.

Ritual adze used for touching the mouth and other areas of the body in the ceremony.

Ritual adze: An arm shaped ritual censer used for touching the eyes and mouth to restore the individuals senses.

Peseshkef blade dedicated by King Senwosret to Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II MET DP311785

Peseshkef: Believed to mean ‘splitter of his ka-spirit’. These were forked blades made of obsidian, glass, or stone that were created as burial goods. In the old kingdom it is clear that its original use was to cut umbilical cords at childbirth, which correlates with its spiritual use of being ‘reborn’. However in which ritual it was originally meant to be practiced is more unclear in this period.

A calf's leg: The leg of a calf was believed to extract the “ba” from the deceased’s body so that it would be able to move freely after death. The “ba” (the personality of the individual) would merge with their “ka”, or life force to form their “akh”. Its use was similar to that of the adze - touching the mouth and other areas of the body. It was also held up to the lips painted on the coffin. It was more prevalent throughout the old kingdom.

Incense: Incense was burned to purify the air as well as created an appeasing smell for the gods during the ceremony.

Ceremony process:

The actions of the ceremony can vary slightly depending on the time period and who it was being done to. There is evidence of 75 acts that must be done during the ceremony. The most notable being from the tomb of Rekhmire.

Rekhmire version:

The Rekhmire version of the ceremony is slightly different than how it is depicted in other texts, as a statue was used instead of the body. The texts put an emphasis on the making of the statue in episodes 2-18. Once complete, in episodes 23-25, priests would sacrifice a bull and offer certain parts of it to the statue. They would then begin touching areas of the statue such as the eyes and mouth with instruments like the ceremonial adze, and present the tools including the peseshkef to it from episodes 26-41. Finally they would anoint and robe the statue on episode 50, and bring it offerings in episodes 59 and 65.

• Episodes 1–9 Preliminary rites
• Episodes 10–22 Animation of the statue
• Episodes 23–42 Meat offerings aligned with upper Egypt
• Episodes 43–46 Meat offerings aligned with lower Egypt
• Episodes 47–71 Funerary meal
• Episodes 72–75 Closing rites

General Ceremony process

• Purifying the body was an important step before the ceremony could take place. This was done using natron, a type of salt used to preserve the body in the mummification process. Afterwards perfumes and oils were placed in their mouth and on other regions of their body. This was believed to have symbolized horus's saliva, a god associated with resurrection or rebirth. During this task, one priest would wear a jackal mask to represent the god Anubis. They would be in charge of keeping the corpse upright through the process.
• Just before the ceremony, a procession occurs where a sem priest - one who embalms and mummifies the corpse (typically an older man with high religious status), symbolically becomes unconscious at the entrance of the tomb, and is soon after awakened by other priests. Afterwards, the sem priest would report “I have seen my father in all his forms”. The corpse would symbolize Osiris, and the sem priest Horus. The sem priest would be protecting the corpse as Horus did his father in mythology. This is well described in the pyramid texts of Unis: “Osiris’s Uni's. accept Horus’s eye, which you should embrace.”  This was a symbol of being rejuvenated as Horus’ eye was eventually restored after being taken from Set in mythology. The sem priest would then change clothes before entering the tomb to establish moving on to a new phase of the ceremony.
• Next is the most important aspect of the ceremony: The sem priest would use specialized instruments like the adze and peseshkef to touch the eyes and mouth - symbolically seen as restoring their senses when they entered the afterlife. In addition, while performing these acts, they would say prayers and incantations to further awaken the senses and guarantee these functions.
• Finally, the sem priest would offer gifts such as grain, then wrapped them in linen and had spells recited to them. The people who knew the deceased would have a funerary meal to finish the ceremony.

The ceremony in literature:

The Book of the Dead also contains a spell for this process, which the deceased may use on themselves:

My mouth is opened by Ptah,

My mouth's bonds are loosed by my city-god.

Thoth has come fully equipped with spells,

He looses the bonds of Set/Seth from my mouth.

Atum has given me my hands,

They are placed as guardians.

My mouth is given to me,

My mouth is opened by Ptah,

With that chisel of metal

With which he opened the mouth of the gods.

I am Sekhmet-Wadjet who dwells in the west of heaven,

I am Sahyt among the souls of On.

Translating literally as "opening of the mouth," the Egyptian terms for the ritual are wpt-r and um-r. According to Ann Macy Roth, the verb wpi connotes an opening that splits, divides or separates: "it can be used, for example, to describe the separation of two combatants, the dividing of time, or even an analysis or determination of the truth."

Pyramid texts of Unas/Unis utterance 34:

"smjn, smjn, open your mouth, O Unas!

Natron of the South, 5 pellets of El Kab.

You taste its taste in front of the divine chapels,

that which Horus spits out, smjn,

that which Seth spits out, smjn,

the two Harmonious Ones, smjn.

To say four times:

You purify yourself with natron, together with the Followers of Horus."

Utterance 93:

"Wash yourself, Unas, open your mouth with the Eye of Horus!

Call your Ka, like Osiris, that he may protect you against every kind of wrath of the dead!

Unas, receive this your bread which is the Eye of Horus!"

Tomb of Petosiris:

The perfume, the perfume opens thy mouth.

It is the saliva of Horus, the perfume.

It is the saliva of ... , the perfume.

It is which strengthens the heart of the two lords, the perfume.

Connections with Psalm 51[edit]

Parallels between the Opening of the Mouth and Psalm 51 have been noted. The parallels include:

• Mentions of ritual washing with special herbs (Psalm 51:2,7).
• Restoration of broken bones (verse 8).
• "O Lord, open thou my lips" (verse 15).
• Sacrifices (verses 16, 17, and 19).