Program > By author > Meza Alicia

Archaeological evidence provides abundant information about religious rituals during Prehistory and Protohistory in Ancient Egypt. Graffiti and paintings are the main source for evidence of these rituals, gestures and offerings to the gods.

This research deals with the resemblance of that evidence with the actual rituals and gestures used at present times in Christian religions, specifically during the Catholic Mass. Public participation was mainly restricted during Ancient times, unlike in the present, where the public attending are encourage to be also participants.
In Ancient Egypt, the priests and the king himself were the closest link to the gods, with sometimes participation of the royal family, as seen on Amarna depictions. Today it would be unthinkable to have Mass without the participation of the attending public. The same participation is expected today in the distribution of the sacraments and last rituals performed at the death bed.
Rituals performed in Ancient times were spoken in the colloquial language, but later on, the rituals evolved in a way that the languages used by the priests performing the ceremonies differed from the common language spoken by the people. In this way Aramaic, Hellenic and Latin were the evolving languages of the present day Catholic rituals, culminating in a vernacular custom of the country where the rituals are today celebrated.
Different types of clothing and paraphernalia were also part of the Ancient rituals as it is today in the diverse countries where the Catholic Mass is celebrated. An investigation and a study of these rituals compared to the archaeolical evidence of the dawn of History in Ancient Egypt, will be examined here.