Since before the dynastic period, in ancient Egypt, food and drinks were deposited alongside the deceased as part of the grave goods that would accompany them in the afterlife, which demonstrates a strong belief in life beyond death and the importance of nutrition both in life and at death.
Throughout different tomb sites across Egyptian necropolises and throughout various historical periods, remnants of food have been found that have survived to this day, some in better condition than others. Thanks to the arid climate and their specific preparation for preservation, they provide us with interesting information about the diet of ancient Egyptians.
Food Offerings
In ancient Egypt, there was a belief in life after death. Therefore, people were concerned about having a tomb and preserving their body, an important factor that led to the development of mummification techniques. Additionally, the funerary goods accompanying the deceased included everyday objects, furniture, weapons, although they did not always arrive in good condition or complete due to theft. Among these grave goods, food and drinks were also found, which would accompany the deceased into their next life and provide sustenance for eternal existence.
These foods were deposited in tombs so that they could be consumed by the Ka, the vital energy or double of an individual, one of the components that made up a person along with the Ba (soul/personality), body (container), shadow (solar element) and name (what defines a man) (Parra, 2016).
The Ka, although it is difficult to define precisely, is often referred to as "the vital energy or double," which is born with the individual and guides them in life and death (Ikam, 2019). Ensuring sustenance for food ensures that the deceased can continue living in the afterlife. Therefore, their nutrition is of utmost importance; otherwise, they would have to resort to aberrant actions for survival. For example, this can be observed in Spell 215 of the Pyramid Texts, which states that one does not wish to eat feces or drink urine.
Furthermore, following the story of the god Khnum (Castel, 2001), a deity represented as a man with a ram's head and among the oldest in the Egyptian pantheon, lord of the first cataract. He created humans and their Ka using Nile mud on a potter’s wheel before depositing it into the maternal womb. Through this creation, not only is the human being but also their Ka, which accompanies them in life as well as after death.
Although since pre-dynastic times ancient Egyptians deposited vessels or bowls with food alongside their dead, this tradition continued throughout history. However, it was not only physical food that was left behind but also representations of offering tables on tomb walls, false doors, stelae, or ceramic offering trays where the foods were presented and lists of foods. Through magic, they would have a provision of food for eternity.
Generally, the foods that were often represented and ideal for funerary offerings included beef and bird meat, breads (of various shapes), jars of wine, beer, fruits (dates, figs, grapes), vegetables (onion, garlic), legumes, grains, and spices. This is also reflected in religious texts such as the Pyramid Texts from the Old Kingdom, the Coffin Texts from the Middle Kingdom, and the Book of the Dead from the New Kingdom, since the deceased wished to eat what the gods ate.
On the other hand, physical food plays an important role as a source of information about Egyptian diet but also reflects socioeconomic factors regarding which foods could be provided for an individual's next life in the afterlife.
This can be seen reflected in the types of meats found among the banquets left in tombs, such as the case of TT8 of Kha from the 18th dynasty with an intact grave goods set. This individual was responsible for construction work at Deir el Medina and his tomb contained a wide variety of breads, fruits, spices, flour, salt, vegetables, nuts, wine, and birds and fish (Tallet, 2006) (figure 1).
It is particularly noteworthy the presence of fish since it was not one of the foods used for funerary offerings. However, in 3477 at Saqqara from the Second Dynasty belonging to an anonymous noblewoman, there were also among her meals bread, birds, beef, cakes, fruits like figs, wine and even a type of cheese, as well as cooked fish presented without heads (Emery, 1961).
Initially, food was left in ceramic plates alongside the sarcophagus but later began to appear stone containers made from limestone and then replaced by calcite that tried to imitate their contents. Until this was replaced by wood as seen in the tomb MMA 1021 of Prince Amenemhat Q at the end of the 17th dynasty in Deir el Bahari (Ikram, 2019) (figure 2).
We also find these food boxes in tombs like QV 46 of Imhotep, also from the 18th dynasty and vizier at Thebes during the reign of Thutmose I, as well as in royal tombs such as KV 62 of Tutankhamun where forty-eight boxes were found along with fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, honey, and jars of wine.
These food boxes often contained beef or bird meat (ducks, geese, pigeons...) that were prepared for preservation by being mummified, wrapped and deposited in individual boxes. During the New Kingdom era they were made of wood, covered with plaster on the outside and resin inside, taking the form of a cut or bird. However, during the 19th dynasty Henutmehyt (BM EA51812), singer of Amun at the beginning of this dynasty, had a food box that was rectangular painted black with a flat lid containing four mummified ducks wrapped in linen (source).
Conclusion
Therefore, throughout their history the ancient Egyptians have been concerned about providing food to the deceased so that they could continue their life in the afterlife, magically with a list of food and representations thereof either physically with banquets deposited in tombs before being sealed for consumption by their Ka. This will take care of feeding them for life beyond death, but depending on the tomb owner we find certain foods although there were some standard foods that could be found repeatedly in tombs, also taking into account what looters left behind and the passage of time to study them.
Bibliography
Castel, E. (2001). Great Dictionary of Egyptian Mythology. Alberabá Publishing.
Drioton E. and Vandier, J. (1964). A History of Egypt. Eudeba.
Emery, W. B. (1961). Archaic Egypt. Penguin.
Ikam, S. (2019). “In death as in life, ‘you are what you eat’. Transformation, mummification and food offerings in ancient Egypt”. In Marie-Lys Aunette (ed.). Religion and Food in Ancient Egypt and the Orient Vol. II. Institut Franςais D´Archéologie Orientale, 387-413.
Parra, J. M. (2016). “Eating in Egypt. With hunger at your heels”. Historia y Vida N°579, 32-39.Tallet, P. (2006). Cooking in Ancient Egypt. Ediciones Folio.
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