Why was a mummy placed in a coffin?

Answer 1

It was to preserve the body. They believed that when you died, your heart was weighed against "The Feather of Truth" to see if you lived a good life. If you had a bad heart, it was eaten by the god Ammut. If you had a good heart your soul would return to your body and rejoin with your spirit. If your body was not preserved well, you could not enter the underworld because your body had to stay intact. To help your soul find your body, a mask of you would be placed on your sarcophagus Also the tombs were filled with supplies thought to be needed for the afterlife.

The mummification process even took up to 72 days. They removed all the organs, the brain, etc...

Answer 2

They did this to preserve the bodies for the afterlife. At first, they believed that only pharoahs could have an afterlife. This was unfair to the rest of the egyptians, so when any Egyptian died, their body was preserved in a tomb.

Answer 3

Valuable and expensive stuff were placed in tombs because back then they believed that if stuff was placed in with the kings. If gold was placed they believed that they would come back wealthy.

Answer 4

The purpose of mummification was to keep the bodies perfect for the next phase of existence, after death.

The tombs were to protect the mummies from vandals and looting.

Answer 5

In their preperation for re-birth after death, particularly later in New Kingdom, the wealthy ancient Egyptians might prepare themselves by purchasing a sarcophagus.

Answer 6

The pyramids were used for security. Inside the pyramids are false tombs, dead-ends, traps, etc. to keep robbers from stealing.

Answer 7

For protection against thieves.