Egyptian Book of the Dead Flashcards
What did the books contain?
guide for the dead person on the journey through the underworld
for example:
magical spells to fend off demons and monsters
confessions and assertions of innocence that would help the soul when it came to judgement before Osiris
What is “The Egyptian Book of the Dead”?
travel guide to the underworld
not only one text; many different texts written in different eras
Kitab al-Mayyitun?
“dead man’s books”
how tomb robbers reffered to the books
On the way to see Osiris, the deceased had to pass through…
seven great halls - each of which was supervised by three gods whom the deceased would have to name in order to pass; similar to passports
The Book of the Dead listed all the names
What happens on judgement day for the dead?
Osiris weighs the heart of the deceased against a figure of Ma’at, goddess of law, truth, and justice
Those who were found to be true lived an afterlife of eternal happiness
Souls who failed were tortured and destroyed; “repeated death”
Ma’at?
repeated death
