Egyptian Concepts on the Orientation of the Human Body *

Many rituals in ancient Egypt manifest a preoccupation with the orientation of the body. The dead were often buried with the head towards the north. The decoration of coffins and canopic chests also shows an underlying system of cosmic notions. Various other rituals demonstrate a strong predilection for facing south, an orientation which is also apparent from the designations for east and west in the Egyptian language. Apparently there was a firm belief in the need to conform to the four directions of the sky during rites de passage such as birth, mummification, and burial.