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Ancient Egyptian funerary texts |
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Ancient Egyptian funerary texts are the engraved documentation of the ancient theological beliefs and practices of the people from the Land of the Pharaohs, dating back to almost 2500 BC onwards. These sacred texts, which decorated the tomb of the Pharaohs comprised of full books or parts of it, engraved on the pyramid walls as “Pyramid Texts” or laced the coffin walls as “Coffin Texts”.
The first Ancient Egyptian funerary text discovered in 1880 by Gaston Maspero was of King Peppy I. During Old Kingdom (2686 BC – 2134 BC), Pharaoh was believed as the living god on earth. His legacy was believed to be continuing after death also, and he was the bridge between divine and the worldly.
As the Egyptian civilization entered into New Kingdom (around 1500-100 BC), the ancient Egyptian funerary texts also changed its form. There are citations of different names like, “Book of the Dead”, “ Amudat”, “Spell of the twelve Caverns”, “The Book of Gates”, “ Book of the Nether World”, “ Book of Caverns”, “Book of the earth”, “Litany of Re” and “Book of the Heavens”.
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Types of Ancient Egyptian funerary texts
- “Amudat” or “Book of Secret Chamber” was found solely in the tombs of Pharaohs. It described underworld, as the time from sunset to sun rise, and relates it to the journey of the soul, from death to afterlife.
- “The Book of the Caverns”, is the book, where underworld is defined as consisting of a series of six pits or Caverns, over which the sun god has to pass. It relates to rewards and punishments of life after death.
- “The Book of Gates” relates the journey of a soul through different gates, christened over different goddess. The soul has to proceed towards afterlife, with their permission only.
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- “Book of the Earth” is from the later stage of the New Kingdom, and it also enunciates the journey of the sun, from sun set to sunrise, through the underworld.
- “Litany of Re” is the prayer for Sun god, and it describes Sun in 75 forms. The King is hailed here, as he is set to become the new sun, in afterlife.
- “Book of the Heavens” was developed in the late New Kingdom. The book described the passage of the sun lights through the heaven.
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