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