In ancient times people thought that whatever is buried with an individual would belong to him in the afterlife. Although further in history, people have moved from this idea, the question of whether a person should be buried alone or with personal belongings is up to everyone to decide for themselves. This essay will cover the topic of how I would design a tomb for the afterlife and what objects I would have wanted to be buried with me.
As some nations perceived the burial ritual as a starting point of the soul’s journey to heaven, the tomb was supposed to be the soul’s vehicle. The burial even included solid and liquid offerings as a suggested provision for the deceased person’s last journey (Murphy, 2020). If I was given a chance to accommodate a tomb for my soul’s journey, I would decorate it in a way that would not let me forget about the life I have spent. First, I would make sure to put up portraits and photos of family members and close friends. Next, I would place objects of my achievements, big and small, that were important to me to show my life values. Lastly, I would have placed objects to represent my hobbies and favorite activities. I do not have preferences for the coffin design as I regard it as just a container for the body; I only need it to be sturdy and not fall apart. In terms of painting the tomb walls, I would have wanted them to remind me of my home or my favorite place. The wall design could feature a painting or a photo of my family from outside the family house window.
In conclusion, I think that anyone would design their tombs for the afterlife differently based on their life priorities and their life journey. Mine happens to focus on the people surrounding me, the memories we have made together, and my life journey. If the tomb is a vehicle that takes the soul and transports it to another destination, I would want my soul to remember these things about me.
Reference
Murphy, J. (2020). Death in late Bronze Age Greece: Variations on a theme. Oxford University Press.