The Book of the Dead is the common name for the ancient Egyptian funerary texts known as The Book of Coming [or Going] Forth By Day. The name "Book of the Dead" was the invention of the German Egyptologist Karl Richard Lepsius, who published a selection of some texts in 1842.
Religion guided every aspect of Egyptian life. Egyptian religion was based on polytheism, or the worship of many deities. The Egyptians had as many as 2000 gods and goddesses each representing characteristics of a specific earthly force, combined with a heavenly power. Often gods and goddesses were represented as part human and part animal.
They considered animals such as the bull, the cat, and the
crocodile to be holy. Their two chief gods were Amon-Ra and Osiris. Amon-Ra
was believed to be the sun god and the lord of the universe. Osiris was the
god of the underworld and was the god that made a peaceful afterlife possible.
The Egyptian "Book of the Dead" contains the major ideas and beliefs in the
ancient Egyptian religion. Because their religion stressed an afterlife,
Egyptians devoted much time and energy into preparing for their journey to the
"next world."
The text was initially carved on the exterior of the
deceased person's sarcophagus, but was later written on papyrus now known as
scrolls and buried inside the sarcophagus with the deceased, presumably so
that it would be both portable and close at hand. Other texts often
accompanied the primary texts including the hypocephalus (meaning 'under the
head') which was a primer version of the full text.
Books of the Dead
constituted as a collection of spells, charms, passwords, numbers and magical
formulas for the use of the deceased in the afterlife. This described many of
the basic tenets of Egyptian mythology. They were intended to guide the dead
through the various trials that they would encounter before reaching the
underworld. Knowledge of the appropriate spells was considered essential to
achieving happiness after death. Spells or enchantments vary in distinctive
ways between the texts of differing "mummies" or sarcophagi, depending on the
prominence and other class factors of the deceased.
Books of the Dead
were usually illustrated with pictures showing the tests to which the deceased
would be subjected. The most important was the weighing of the heart of the
dead person against Ma'at, or Truth (carried out by Anubis). The heart of the
dead was weighed against a feather, and if the heart was not weighed down with
sin (if it was lighter than the feather) he was allowed to go on. The god
Thoth would record the results and the monster Ammit would wait nearby to eat
the heart should it prove unworthy.
The earliest known versions date
from the 16th century BC during the 18th Dynasty (ca. 1580 BC–1350 BC). It
partly incorporated two previous collections of Egyptian religious literature,
known as the Coffin Texts (ca. 2000 BC) and the Pyramid Texts (ca. 2600
BC-2300 BC), both of which were eventually superseded by the Book of the
Dead.
The text was often individualized for the deceased person - so no
two copies contain the same text - however, "book" versions are generally
categorized into four main divisions – the Heliopolitan version, which was
edited by the priests of the college of Annu (used from the 5th to the 11th
dynasty and on walls of tombs until about 200); the Theban version, which
contained hieroglyphics only (20th to the 28th dynasty); a hieroglyphic and
hieratic character version, closely related to the Theban version, which had
no fixed order of chapters (used mainly in the 20th dynasty); and the Saite
version which has strict order (used after the 26th dynasty).
It is
notable, that the Book of the Dead for Scribe Ani, the Papyrus of Ani,
was originally 78 Ft, and was separated into 37 sheets at appropriate chapter
and topical divisions.
Egyptian Book of the Dead
HYMN TO OSIRIS
A HYMN OF PRAISE TO RA WHEN HE
RISETH IN THE EASTERN PART OF HEAVEN
Appendix: NEKHT, THE CAPTAIN OF OF
SOLDIERS, THE ROYAL SCRIBE, SINGETH A HYMN..
HYMN TO OSIRIS
UN-NEFER
THE CHAPTERS OF COMING FORTH BY DAY
Appendix:
THE CHAPTER OF MAKING THE SAHU TO ENTER THE TUAT ON ...
THE CHAPTER OF GIVING
A MOUTH...
Appendix: THE CHAPTER OF...
THE CHAPTER OF COMING FORTH BY DAY
AND OF OPENING.....
TEXTS RELATING TO THE WEIGHING OF THE HEART OF ANI
THE
SEVEN ARITS
Book 4
THE PYLONS OF THE HOUSE OF OSIRIS
THE PRIESTS ANMUTEF AND
SAMEREF
THE SPEECH OF THE PRIEST ANMUTEF.
THE SPEECH OF THE PRIEST
SAMEREF.
THE JUDGES IN ANU
Book 5
THE CHAPTER OF OPENING THE MOUTH OF THE OSIRIS ANI.
THE CHAPTER OF
BRINGING WORDS OF POWER TO THE OSIRIS ANI
Appendix: THE CHAPTER WHICH MAKETH
A MAN TO REMEMBER.......
THE CHAPTER OF GIVING A HEART TO THE OSIRIS ANI IN
KHERT-NETER.
THE CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART OF THE OSIRIS,....
HE
CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART-SOUL OF A MAN BE SNATCHEDAWAY FROM HIM IN
KHERT-NETER.
Appendix: THE CHAPTER OF DRINKING WATER IN KHERT-NETER.
THE
CHAPTER OF DRINKING WATER AND OF NOT BEING BURNT UP BY FIRE
THE CHAPTER OF
NOT BEING BOILED IN FIRE
THE CHAPTER OF GIVING AIR IN
KHERT-NETER
Appendix: THE CHAPTER OF GIVING AIR TO NU IN KHERT-NETER.
THE
CHAPTER OF GIVING AIR IN KHERT-NETER
THE CHAPTER OF SNUFFING THE AIR WITH
WATER IN KHERT-NETER
THE CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART OF A
MAN...
Appendix: THE CHAPTER OF NOT ALLOWING THE HEART....
THE CHAPTER OF
NOT LETTING THE HEART-CASE OF A MAN....
Appendix: THE CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING
THE HEART OF NU,......
THE CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEART OF NU.....
THE
CHAPTER OF BREATHING THE AIR AND OF HAVING POWER OVER WATER.......
THE
CHAPTER OF SNUFFING THE AIR, AND OF HAVING POWER OVER.....
THE CHAPTER OF NOT
DYING A SECOND TIME IN KHERT-NETER.
THE CHAPTER OF NOT ROTTING IN
KHERT-NETER.
Appendix:THE CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE BODY PERISH.
THE
CHAPTER OF NOT PERISHING AND OF BEING ALIVE IN KHERT-NETER.
THE CHAPTER OF
NOT GOING IN TO THE BLOCK OF THE GOD.
THE CHAPTER OF NOT BEING TRANSPORTED TO
THE EAST IN KHERT-NETER.
THE CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE HEAD OF A MAN BE CUT
OFF FROM HIS BODY..
Book 6
THE CHAPTER OF MAKING THE SOUL TO BE JOINED TO ITS BODY IN
KHERT-NETER.
THE CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE SOUL OF A MAN BE HELD CAPTIVE IN
KHERT-NETER.
THE CHAPTER OF OPENING THE TOMB TO THE BA-SOUL AND THE
SHADOW,...
Appendix:
THE CHAPTER OF LIFTING UP THE FEET, AND OF COMING
FORTH ON...
THE CHAPTER OF FORCING A WAY INTO AMENTET [AND OF COMING FORTH]
BY DAY.
Appendix: THE CHAPTER OF FORCING A WAY INTO THE TUAT.
ANOTHER
CHAPTER OF THE TUAT AND OF COMING FORTH BY DAY.
THE CHAPTER OF COMING FORTH
BY DAY AND OF LIVING AFTER DEATH.
Appendix:
THE CHAPTER OF COMING FORTH BY
DAY AFTER FORCING AN ENTRANCE.....
THE CHAPTER OF MAKING A MAN TO RETURN TO
LOOK UPON HIS HOUSE ON EARTH.
ANOTHER CHAPTER OF THE COMING FORTH OF A MAN BY
DAY AGAINST HIS ENEMIES..
Appendix: THE CHAPTER OF COMING FORTH AGAINST
ENEMIES IN KHERT-NETER.
A HYMN OF PRAISE TO RA WHEN HE RISETH UPON THE
HORIZON
Book 7
THE SOLAR LITANY
Appendix:
A HYMN OF PRAISE TO RA WHEN HE
RISETH IN THE EASTERN PART OF HEAVEN.
THE CHAPTER OF THE NEW MOON
THE
FOLLOWING IS TO BE RECITED ON THE DAY OF THE MONTH (NEW MOON DAY)
A HYMN TO
RA [WHICH IS TO BE SUNG] ON THE DAY OF THE MONTH.....
Appendix: ANOTHER
CHAPTER WHICH IS TO BE RECITED WHEN THE MOON.....
THE CHAPTER OF ADVANCING TO
THE TCHATCHAU CHIEFS OF OSIRIS.
Book 8
THE CHAPTER OF MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO A
SWALLOW.
Appendix:
[THE CHAPTER] OF MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO A HAWK
OF GOLD.
[THE CHAPTER OF] MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO A DIVINE
HAWK.
Appendix:
THE CHAPTER OF BEING TRANSFORMED INTO THE PRINCE OF THE
TCHATCHAU CHIEFS
[THE CHAPTER OF] MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO THE SERPENT
SATA.
[THE CHAPTER OF] MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO THE
CROCODILE-GOD.
THE CHAPTER OF MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO PTAH.
[THE
CHAPTER OF] MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO THE SOUL OF TEM.
Appendix:
[THE
CHAPTER OF] MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO THE BENU BIRD.
[THE CHAPTER OF]
MAKING THE TRANSFORMATION INTO A HERON.
[THE CHAPTER OF] MAKING THE
TRANSFORMATION INTO THE LOTUS.
Appendix:
[THE CHAPTER OF] MAKING THE
TRANSFORMATION INTO THE GOD WHO LIGHTENETH THE DARKNESS.
Book 9
THE CHAPTER OF NOT DYING A SECOND TIME.
Appendix:
[THE CHAPTER
OF] ENTERING INTO THE HALL OF MAATI TO PRAISE OSIRIS KHENTI-AMENTI.
Appendix:
[THE FOLLOWING] WORDS SHALL BE SAID BY THE STEWARD OF THE KEEPER..
THE
NEGATIVE CONFESSION
Appendix:
ADDRESS TO THE GODS OF THE TUAT
Book 10
THE CHAPTER OF THE DEIFICATION OF THE MEMBERS
Appendix:
THE
CHAPTER OF REPulSING SLAUGHTER IN HENSU
THE CHAPTER OF A TET OF
GOLD.
Appendix:
THE CHAPTER OF A TET OF CARNELIAN.
Appendix:
THE
CHAPTER OF A HEART OF SEHERT STONE.
THE CHAPTER OF THE HEAD-REST
Appendix:
THE CHAPTER OF THE HEAD-REST [OR PILLOW].
THE TEXTS IN THE FUNERAL
CHAMBER
Book 11
[HERE] BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF SEKHET-HETEPET,...
Appendix: [HERE]
BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF SEKHET-HETEPET,..
THE CHAPTER OF PROVIDING THE DECEASED
WITH MEAT, MILK, ETC.
ADDRESSES TO THE FOUR RUDDERS OF HEAVEN
ADDRESSES TO
THE FOUR COMAPNIES OF THE GODS
Appendix:
Book 12
THE BOOK OF MAKING PERFECT THE KHU
THE ADDRESSES OF THE FOUR
RUDDERS
HYMN TO OSIRIS KHENTI-AMENTI UN-NEFER
Appendix:
THE CHAPTER OF
THE PRAISE OF HATHOR, LADY OF AMENTET
Appendix: THE CHAPTER OF THE FOUR
TORCHES
References
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Egyptian Book of the Dead