Synopses & Reviews
The most famous of all ancient Egyptian texts?with an introduction by one of the most celebrated Egyptologists of our timeAMONG THE MOST WIDELY read and studied of all ancient writings, The Egyptian Book of the Dead consists of funerary texts that ancient Egyptian scribes composed for the benefit of the dead. This astonishing array of spells, hymns and litanies, magical formulae and names, and words of power and prayers were all found cut or painted on walls of pyramids and tombs, and painted on coffins, sarcophagi, and rolls of papyri.
Synopsis
A unique collection of funerary texts from a wide variety of sources, dating from the 15th to the 4th century BC
Consisting of spells, prayers and incantations, each section contains the words of power to overcome obstacles in the afterlife. The papyruses were often left in sarcophagi for the dead to use as passports on their journey from burial, and were full of advice about the ferrymen, gods and kings they would meet on the way. Offering valuable insights into ancient Egypt, The Book of the Dead has also inspired fascination with the occult and the afterlife in recent years.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust theseries to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-datetranslations by award-winning translators."
Synopsis
The most famous of all ancient Egyptian texts?with an introduction by one of the most celebrated Egyptologists of our timeAMONG THE MOST WIDELY read and studied of all ancient writings, The Egyptian Book of the Dead consists of funerary texts that ancient Egyptian scribes composed for the benefit of the dead. This astonishing array of spells, hymns and litanies, magical formulae and names, and words of power and prayers were all found cut or painted on walls of pyramids and tombs, and painted on coffins, sarcophagi, and rolls of papyri.
About the Author
E . A. Wallis Budge (18571934) was the curator of Egyptian and Assyrian antiquities at the British Museum from 1894 until 1924. He was knighted in 1920 for his distinguished contributions to Egyptology.
John Romer is a widely published scholar of Middle Eastern archaeology, and is known to millions from his numerous television archaeology series.