Egyptian Dreams

Queen Tyie · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 2:59 pm Post subject: Book of the Dead

Is there such a book called the Book of the dead? If so does anyone know what is in it? Because it is supossly used in the 2 movies about Ancient Egypt. Question

Queen Tyie · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 3:08 pm Post subject:

the movies are called:The Mummy and The Mummy's Return
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isisinacrisis · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 3:19 pm Post subject:

I have a book of the dead...mwahahahaha!!! Laughing

Yes it does exist-it's the Egyptian funeral text.

anneke · Queen of Egypt Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Posts: 9305

Here's a copy from TourEgypt:
http://www.touregypt.net/bkofdead.htm

This is a translation of the Papyrus of Ani (ca 1240 BC)

Doesn't have anything to do with any book they talk about in the Mummy though Laughing

The book from the movie seems to refer to the book of magic by Thoth, as described in the stories about Setne-Khaemweset
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anneke · Queen of Egypt Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Posts: 9305

The dead often took a papyrus to their tomb. This was seemingly meant to help them pass the tests in the afterlife.

Here's the weighing of the heart from Maihirpre's tomb (early 18th dyn.)

From:
http://www.geocities.com/royalmummies/Maihirpre/Maihirpre2.htm
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anneke · Queen of Egypt Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Posts: 9305

Here's a good depiction:

This is from the following website:
http://www.crystalinks.com/egyptafterlife.html

The text describes the different trials:
1. the dead has to appear before a panel of 14 judges
2. the heart is weighed against the feather of truth

I have seen much more intricate descriptions of the trials in the afterlife, where many questions need to be answered and incantations need to be spoken at the right times.
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isisinacrisis · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 4:54 pm Post subject:

I didn't know the Mummy's 'book of the dead' was based on real Egyptian texts, I thought it was purely Hollywood fantasy like everything else in the movie...

The Book of the dead that I have also has lovely illustrations like the one posted above. I think the book contains the spells needed to pass through the underworld.

anneke · Queen of Egypt Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Posts: 9305

The existence of the book of thoth is made up by the Ancient Egyptians.
It doesn't actually exist, but they wrote stories about it. Smile

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isisinacrisis · Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2004 8:40 pm Post subject:

In the movie, it was called the Book of Amen Ra, I think.
Is it possible to post some links so I can find out more about this book of Thoth? It's the first I heard of it...

superm · Citizen Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 33 Location: Canada

Yes it is a real book there was Book of the gates, and sky, and other things too. They were found in pillars in i think Ramese tomb. The book of the dead has spell's that can be written on tombs, coffins, walls, papuryas, etc. Anything you would find in a tomb. So the spells in the book of the dead is to protect the decreased on their journey to the afterlife. You can by a copy of the translated book, at your local book store just go to Amazon and type: Book of the Dead

Hope this helps!! Very Happy

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dandelions dont lie · Citizen Joined: 14 May 2004 Posts: 4 Location: uk

what are the stories about Setne-Khaemweset, what period are they from, or where can they be found? Likewise what is the Book of Thoth, the book of the dead was intended to help the deceased enter into the afterlife, but what was the book of Thoth for?
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Segereh · Pharaoh Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Posts: 2934 Location: Bruges

Steve · Scribe Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Posts: 248 Location: Canada

I have the paper back version of the book of the dead I got from Chapters

*high fives isisinacrisis!*
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Nefer-ka-Anpu · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 1:26 pm Post subject:

The Book of the Dead is also known as "the Book of Going Forth by Day".
It not only focusses on the afterlife though. It's moral contents also applied to the everyday life, maybe still applies to it, who knows. The statements in the Negative Confessions which were said by the deceased before the weighing of the heart implied a set of moral rules for daily life. The "I did not...." in those statements could easily be exchanged by "Thou shallt not....". The hope for a succesfull afterlife was based upon an morally examplerary existence.
Perhaps it was not only a set of rituals and spells to protect the soul on the journey to and through the afterlife, but also to guide the living through daily life, so that they would be able to reach the afterlife.

Nefer-ka-Anpu · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 1:30 pm Post subject: Good Authors

For people who wish to read or study the Book of the Dead, I advise the author Dr. Raymond Faulkner. Books by E.A. Wallis Budge are nice reading but consist of quite a lot of translational errors.
Just a tip Very Happy