The ‘Opening of the Mouth Ceremony’ was an important ritual, occurring at the very end of the mummification process. A number of amuletic tools were used by priests to symbolically open the deceased’s mouth, eyes and ears – the seats of the senses. The pesesh-kef, romanised from “psš-kf” and also referred to as the “fishtail knife”, opened the mouth specifically and connected it with the communication of the gods. The Book of the Dead includes three spells (21-23) concerning the ritual.
The Egyptians wore amulets alongside other pieces of jewellery. They were decorative, but also served a practical purpose, being considered to bestow power and protection upon the wearer. Many of the amulets have been found inside the wrappings of mummies, as they were used to prepare the deceased for the afterlife.
To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.