The Egyptian Book of the Dead
Origin of the Book
The royal Scribe known as Ani recorded the Book of the Dead in 1240 BC. The Papyrus of Ani was originally 78 feet long.
Some sources say that the book was originally divided into chapters, while others say that this came later in order to facilitate reading the material. Regardless of the manner in which it was written, we do know that it was not a single work, nor even a book in that sense of the word, but rather was a collection of writings.
These writings were actually spells that were chanted, cut into the walls of kings’ pyramids, then painted on coffins and written on papyrus. The papyrus was placed inside the coffin or mummy case.
Meaning of the Book
The Book of the Dead is actually a set of “instructions” for the dead person. It consisted of spells, incantation, and techniques of mummification, all designed to allow for the resurrection of the dead person in “heaven” or “The Hall of the Two Truths”.
In addition, The Book offered guidance on how the deceased should behave and rituals of magic that would be important to him in the other world.
The ancient Egyptians believed that life and death were stages that allowed one to progress to a better life in the Afterworld. As a result, their religion had five fundamental beliefs or stages. The purpose of The Book of the Dead was to ensure that they would pass through each stage to the Afterlife.
The first stage was mummification. This method of preservation was important to the Egyptians because they believed that without a physical body the soul would not have a dwelling place, and thus would become forever restless.
The deceased then passed into The Underworld, or Duat. This was described as a land filled with great dangers, through which each Egyptian would be required to pass after their death. We might be able to compare this to the Catholic Church’s belief in Purgatory.
If the deceased made it through The Underworld successfully, which is what the songs, spells, and other writings in The Book were meant to assist with, he then entered the Hall of the Two Truths. Here Anubis, who had led him through The Underworld, would present the deceased to Osiris and 42 judge deities.
At this time a ceremony of justification would be performed which consisted of the heart of the deceased being weighed against the feather of truth. The outcome of this weighing decided his fate, which was either entrance into the perfect world or being sent to the Devourer of the Dead.
If the deceased was found worthy, he would then enter The Afterlife. According to the ancient Egyptians, The Afterlife consisted of an existence of perfection in an Egypt that was ideal in every sense of the word. The Afterlife was also referred to as the Field of Rushes, Field of Offerings, and even the Land to the West.
Creepy Facts about the Book
There is a chapter entitled: “The Chapter of Not Being Boiled in Fire”.
The Book was not supposed to be read by the living; however, families that could afford it could purchase copies of The Book, insert the deceased’s name in the appropriate spaces, and read the rituals.
Parts of The Book contain the same wording as the Ten Commandments which are found in the Judeo-Christian Bible.
Related Sites
Book Explanation: This site explains how it was set up originally and why it was later divided into chapters. The link focuses specifically on Chapter 125.
Media timeline: From ancient writings to today’s computers, these things are shown on this website. It also provides some brief information on The Book of the Dead.
Book of the Dead: This website includes its origin and purpose. You can also find information on Anubis –god of the dead, and the scribe Ani.
The Book of the Dead Pictures: This information comes from one of best preserved copies of The Book of the Dead. Pictures are included of Ani and his wife as they take their journey through the underworld and beyond.
Chapters of Book: This website includes chapters such as “The Chapter of Not Being Boiled in Fire”. Each chapter can be accessed separately.
