Question Number 1

Question: Explain why some scholars have called the Ancient Egyptians a "death obsessed" culture. Do you agree?

Thesis: Life of the Ancient Egyptians revolved around death. 

Primary Source #1

The mode of embalming, according to the most perfect process, is the following:- They take first a crooked piece of iron, and with it draw out the brain through the nostrils, thus getting rid of a portion, while the skull is cleared of the rest by rinsing with drugs; next they make a cut along the flank with a sharp Ethiopian stone, and take out the whole contents of the abdomen, which they then cleanse, washing it thoroughly with palm wine, and again frequently with an infusion of pounded aromatics. After this they fill the cavity with the purest bruised myrrh, with cassia, and every other sort of spicery except frankincense, and sew up the opening. Then the body is placed in natrum for seventy days, and covered entirely over. After the expiration of that space of time, which must not be exceeded, the body is washed, and wrapped round, from head to foot, with bandages of fine linen cloth, smeared over with gum, which is used generally by the Egyptians in the place of glue, and in this state it is given back to the relations, who enclose it in a wooden case which they have had made for the purpose, shaped into the figure of a man. Then fastening the case, they place it in a sepulchral chamber, upright against the wall. 

Herodotus. The Histories

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/herodotus-mummies.html

Primary Source #2

"Homage to thee, Osiris, Lord of eternity, King of the Gods, whose names are manifold, whose forms are holy, thou being of hidden form in the temples, whose Ka is holy.

Papayrus of Ani; Egyptian Book of the Dead

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Books/Papyrus_Ani.html

Primary Source #3

In truth, I now come to you, and I have brought Maat to you,
And I have destroyed wickedness for you.
I have committed no evil upon men.
I have not oppressed the members of my family.
I have not wrought evil in the place of right and truth.
I have had no knowledge of useless men.
I have brought about no evil.
I did not rise in the morning and expect more than was due to me.
I have not brought my name forward to be praised.
I have not oppressed servants.
I have not scorned any god.
I have not defrauded the poor of their property.
I have not done what the gods abominate.
I have not cause harm to be done to a servant by his master.
I have not caused pain.

The Book of the Dead; The Judgement of the Dead

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/EGYPT/BOD125.HTM

Explanation of Argument: The Egyptian people were defiantly death obsessed. Death was a part of their everyday life. The Ancient Egyptians wrote about death, prayed to the Gods about death and even sang about death. Once someone died, there was a specific ritual performed to send that person into the afterlife. It was believed that there were three parts to the soul that each had a task to do in the afterlife. When a pharaoh died they were said to be the Osiris, King of the Gods. These people in history were truly death obsessed.