The Egyptian Conception of Immortality The Ingersoll Lecture, 1911

"The Egyptian Conception of Immortality" by George Andrew Reisner is a detailed exploration of ancient Egyptian views on life after death, tracking their development from early burial rituals to sophisticated religious doctrines centered around gods like Osiris. Using archaeological evidence and ancient writings, Reisner investigates the cultural habits and spiritual ideas influencing the Egyptian understanding of immortality. Journey through Egyptian history as the book uncovers evolving beliefs, highlighting how Egyptians thought the spirit lived on after death with earthly needs and wants. Reisner shows how the Osiris myth changed funeral rituals, originally for royalty, to eventually include more common people. This gradual shift shows how religious beliefs, social status, and power dynamics were all connected in ancient Egypt.