This is the first in a series of posts describing how various cultures throughout time have viewed the afterlife, and in particular, the human soul. It is a subject that fascinates me, especially how differing cultural views pertain to the concept of “ghosts”, or restless spirits that haunt the living.
We begin in ancient Egypt, and their concept of the soul. To the Egyptians, the human soul consisted of five parts: the Ren (name), the Ba (soul), the Ka (spirit), the Sheut (shadow), and Jb (heart).
Today, I will focus on the Ba, the closest to the contemporary concept of soul. To the Egyptians, the Ba contained everything about a person that made them unique, similar to the notion of “personality”. It was believed to be an invisible entity which does not permanently leave the body upon death, but remains with it in the tomb. Interestingly, the Ba was percieved to leave the tomb at night and roam around the burial grounds, something that sounds eerily similar to the concept of a ”ghost”. The Ba was fed cakes and was cared for by the goddess of the cemetery. Importantly, the Egyptians thought that the body must remain intact in order for the Ba to return to it.
It is fascinating to me that cultures throughout time have very similar concepts regarding the afterlife and sprirituality. To me, this reflects a similarity in experiences, many of which must be based in very real phenomena. Check back soon for more discussion on the Concept of the Soul throughout human history.
Image Credit, Jeff Dahl, Wikimedia commons.
See also: “The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits”, by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Facts on File Press, New York.
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