Performance and Ritual in Ancient Egyptian Funerary Practice

One of the best documented Egyptian rituals—occurring in both cultic and funerary contexts—is known as the Opening of the Mouth ritual. In this virtual lecture on Thursday, April 29, Mariam Ayad uses the Opening of the Mouth ritual as a case study to illustrate the power of imagery and the efficacy of the spoken word as performative aspects of Egyptian funerary practice. Performing this ritual was believed to animate statues and temples, while also restoring the senses of the deceased, thus ensuring that they could eat, drink and breathe in the afterlife. Textual and iconographic references to the ritual are found in different time periods, from the Old Kingdom through the Roman Period. This free event is presented by the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East along with the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture. Advanced registration is required.

Mariam Ayad is an associate professor of Egyptology at The American University in Cairo. Mariam is a visiting associate professor of women’s studies and Near Eastern religions plus a research associate of the Women’s Studies in Religion Program (2020-21) at the Harvard Divinity School.

Photo by Ayman Damarany