Final answer:
The pharaoh served as a high priest and god-like figure, mummification preserved the body for the afterlife, and the belief in the afterlife influenced the practice of mummification and construction of tombs.
Step-by-step explanation:
a) The pharaoh played a crucial role in religion as the high priest and a god-like figure, serving as a direct connection between the gods and the Egyptian people. The pharaoh was believed to be the human incarnation of Horus, the god of justice and truth.
b) Mummification was significant because it was based on the belief in the afterlife and the preservation of the body. The process of embalming and wrapping the body allowed different spiritual elements, such as the Ka and Ba, to survive and fulfill their respective functions in the afterlife.
c) The belief in the afterlife influenced the practice of mummification and the construction of elaborate tombs. The Egyptians believed that the soul would be rewarded with eternal life if the heart balanced against the ideal of order during the judgment by the gods. This belief motivated them to ensure the preservation of the body through mummification.
d) The interplay of pharaohs, mummification, and the afterlife illustrates the central role of religion in ancient Egyptian society. Religion permeated all aspects of life, from the leadership of the pharaohs to the rituals surrounding death and the belief in the eternal afterlife.