Animals and Religion
This postcard gives us a peek inside the tomb of King Tutankhamen -- the sarcophagus itself front and center and wall paintings and hieroglyphs in the background. In these paintings, we see Egyptians with Osiris, the God of death, as noted by his signature white crown with ostrich feather as well as hieroglyphic inscriptions and even depictions of animals including monkeys and a bird. Upon closer examination, we also see that several of the Egyptians are carrying the symbol of Ankh, which represents life and good fortune. To learn more about this famous boy king click here.
The simplicity of this postcard draws the viewer’s attention directly to the black jakal lying on an intricately inscribed structure, that serves as a shrine. Many deities in Egyptian culture were commonly depicted as animals-- in this case, the black jakal representing Anubis, the God of the Underworld. In other instances, he may be portrayed as a man with the head of a dog. By representing their Gods as animals, this shows just how significant of a role animals played in Egyptian religion.
This postcard exhibits scenes of daily Egyptian life carved on a tomb wall from the Nile with Egyptians on boats on the bottom of the work to using cattle for agriculture in the middle and carrying goods or water at the top. Again, we see how important animals are to the Egyptians. However, rather than in a religious sense, this carving highlights their significance in their roles as contributors to Egyptian productivity and sustenance.