Egypt's 'Book of the Dead' Photos Revealed; What Was the Purpose of These Ancient Scrolls?

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Officials from Egypt have now released shots of ancient scrolls from the prehistoric Book of the Dead that were recently found in Saqqara. The photos reveal illustrations of deities, scenarios of the afterlight, and written text.

Egypt's 'Book of theDead'

According to Live Science, the papyrus ancient scrolls were found by archaeologists in a tomb that was near the Step Pyramid of Djoser. However, this is the first time images of the ancient scroll have been shared.

While ancient Egyptians frequently buried the deceased with the Book of the Dead, this was not how they termed the ancient scrolls back then. The Book of the Dead was termed by archaeologists to refer to these text collections that were thought to guide the deceased to the afterlife.

According to Brittanica, these writings comprised mortuary texts that were full of magic formulas or spells that were placed inside tombs. These were thought to protect the deceased and help them with what was next.

The American Research Center in Egypt reports that such texts were vital for prehistoric Egyptians, and now they are also one of the most important resources that Egyptologists can delve into to know more about Egypt's religious practices and concepts of the afterlife. Aside from describing the deities' roles and the afterlife, these ancient scrolls also shed light on vital aspects, such as ka and ba. The Ka required a physical form of coming back in order to live. Hence, the Book of the Dead sheds light on the famous mummification practice. In the same way, the scrolls also have spells dedicated to preserving specific body parts and the opening of the mouth ritual, which was conducted prior to sealing the mummy inside the tomb.

Clearly, the Book of the Dead sheds light on vital aspects of the belief systems in ancient Egypt. Now, the public can get a glimpse of what these ancient scrolls actually look like.

ALSO READ: 'Golden Boy' Mummy Exposes Secrets of Ancient Egypt; After Life Belief of Ptolemaic Period Explained

Ancient Scroll Photos 

The shots include the papyrus scrolls that are both opened and rolled up tightly. According to Live Science, the scroll was found inside the coffin of a person called Ahmose, whose name was stated in the scroll around 260 times. He was from 300 B.C, which was close to the start of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which was a pharaoh dynasty that descended from one of the generals of Alexander the Great.

The tomb is situated south of the step pyramid that was built for Djoser pharaoh, who was from the third dynasty. Though the pyramid was constructed long before Ahmose's time, it was not shocking to find the man's tomb close to the pyramid. Ancient Egyptians liked to be buried close to the pyramids of pharaohs who were long dead.

To unroll the scroll, the team conducted intense conservation work. The text was written in red and black ink. The researchers also say that the writing quality shows that it may have been done by a professional.

The scrolls also contained illustrations. One of the images in the Book of the Dead revealed the ancient deity Osiris, who was believed to rule the underworld. According to Egyptian beliefs, this deity's life was restored through a ritual after he died. This was something that Egyptians back then hoped would happen to them as well.

There was also an illustration of a couple revering the deities of ancient Egypt. The pair could have been Ahmose and his unknown wife.

There is still more to these ancient scrolls. The Book of the Dead is being displayed at the Egyptian Museum.

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