The Book of the Dead is the title now commonly given to the great collection of funerary texts which the ancient Egyptian scribes composed for the benefit of the dead. These consist of spells and incantations, hymns and litanies, magical formulae and names, words of power and prayers, and they are found cut or painted on walls of pyramids and tombs, and painted on coffins and sarcophagi and rolls of papyri. This book is the treatise and analysis of The Book of the Dead, (also known as Spells of Coming and Forth by Day), by Egyptologist E. A. Wallis Budge

Budge, E. A. Wallis

Inner Circle Press

Book Tree, The

United States, United States of America

2016-07-15

This papyrus is long known as the standard version of The Egyptian Book of the Dead. The Egyptians believed in an afterlife and this book served these beliefs for more than 3000 years. It provides instructions for the souls that pass on and enter into the Land of the Gods, while also covering detailed rituals to be performed for the dead. The Papyrus of Ani was purchased for the British Museum in 1888 by E. A. Wallis Budge, who also became its' translator. It was discovered near Luxor in an 18th Dynasty tomb, written as a copy in about 1500 BC for the Royal Scribe of Thebes, Ani. Chapters have been found carved on the walls of the pyramid from the earlier 5th Dynasty, on the walls of ancient tombs, painted on mummy cases, and written on papyrus throughout Egypt's long history. Budge described this particular text as being "the largest roll of papyrus I had ever seen, tied with a thick band of papyrus, and in a perfect state of preservation." It turned out to be 78 feet in length, with 37 separations according to topic and chapter divisions. This book is a copy of that scroll, with a running English translation. It is unquestionably the most important text of ancient Egypt, meant to insure the spiritual welfare of everyone who passes on and enters their future life. -- Backcover

2024-07-01