Ancient Egyptian Funerary Texts
Encyclopedia
The literature that make up the Ancient Egyptian Funerary Texts are a collection of religious documents that were used in Ancient Egypt
, usually to help the spirit of the concerned person to be preserved in the afterlife.
They evolved over time, beginning with the Pyramid Texts
in the Old Kingdom
, which were the concern only of royal burials, through the Coffin Texts
of the Middle Kingdom
, the several books in the New Kingdom
and later times.
With passing time access to these documents was extended to the noble classes, then the common (at least those that could afford ritual burials) population.
After the Amarna Period
, a new set of funerary texts began to be used. These centre on representations of Nut
, the sky goddess. They represent the nighttime journey of the sun into and through her body, with her giving birth to the rejuvenated sun in the morning. From the tomb
of Ramesses IV
onwards two of these Books of the Sky were usually placed next to each other on the ceiling of royal tombs.
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, usually to help the spirit of the concerned person to be preserved in the afterlife.
They evolved over time, beginning with the Pyramid Texts
Pyramid Texts
The Pyramid Texts are a collection of ancient Egyptian religious texts from the time of the Old Kingdom. The pyramid texts are possibly the oldest known religious texts in the world. Written in Old Egyptian, the pyramid texts were carved on the walls and sarcophagi of the pyramids at Saqqara during...
in the Old Kingdom
Old Kingdom
Old Kingdom is the name given to the period in the 3rd millennium BC when Egypt attained its first continuous peak of civilization in complexity and achievement – the first of three so-called "Kingdom" periods, which mark the high points of civilization in the lower Nile Valley .The term itself was...
, which were the concern only of royal burials, through the Coffin Texts
Coffin Texts
The Coffin Texts are a collection of ancient Egyptian funerary spells written on coffins beginning in the First Intermediate Period. The texts are derived in part from the earlier pyramid texts, reserved for royal use only, but they contain substantial new material related to everyday desires that...
of the Middle Kingdom
Middle Kingdom of Egypt
The Middle Kingdom of Egypt is the period in the history of ancient Egypt stretching from the establishment of the Eleventh Dynasty to the end of the Fourteenth Dynasty, between 2055 BC and 1650 BC, although some writers include the Thirteenth and Fourteenth dynasties in the Second Intermediate...
, the several books in the New Kingdom
New Kingdom
The New Kingdom of Egypt, also referred to as the Egyptian Empire is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and the 11th century BC, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt....
and later times.
With passing time access to these documents was extended to the noble classes, then the common (at least those that could afford ritual burials) population.
Old Kingdom
The funerary texts of the Old Kingdom were initially reserved for the king only. Towards the end of the period, the texts appeared in the tombs of royal wives.Middle Kingdom
These are a collection of ancient Egyptian funerary spells written on coffins beginning in the First Intermediate Period. The texts are derived in part from the earlier pyramid texts, but they contain substantial new material related to everyday desires that reflects the fact that the texts were now used by the common people. Because non-royal Egyptians who could afford to have a coffin now had access to these funerary spells, the pharaoh no longer had exclusive rights to the afterlife.New Kingdom
- Book of the DeadBook of the DeadThe Book of the Dead is the modern name of an ancient Egyptian funerary text, used from the beginning of the New Kingdom to around 50 BC. The original Egyptian name for the text, transliterated rw nw prt m hrw is translated as "Book of Coming Forth by Day". Another translation would be "Book of...
- AmduatAmduatThe Amduat is an important Ancient Egyptian funerary text of the New Kingdom. Like many funerary texts, it was found written on the inside of the pharaoh's tomb for reference...
- Spell of the Twelve CavesSpell of the Twelve CavesThe Spell of the Twelve Caves is an important Ancient Egyptian funerary text of the Ancient Egyptian New Kingdom.-External links:*...
- The Book of GatesBook of GatesThe Book of Gates is an Ancient Egyptian funerary text dating from the New Kingdom. It narrates the passage of a newly deceased soul into the next world, corresponding to the journey of the sun though the underworld during the hours of the night. The soul is required to pass though a series of...
- Book of the NetherworldBook of the NetherworldThe Book of the Netherworld, or Book of What is in the Underworld, is an important Ancient Egyptian funerary text of the New Kingdom.-Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld :...
- Book of CavernsBook of CavernsThe Book of Caverns is an important Ancient Egyptian funerary text of the New Kingdom. Like many funerary texts, it was written on the inside of the tomb for reference by the deceased...
- Book of the EarthBook of the EarthThe Book of the Earth is an important Ancient Egyptian funerary text of the New Kingdom and later.-External links:*...
- Litany of ReLitany of ReThe Litany of Re is an important Ancient Egyptian funerary text of the New Kingdom. Like many funerary texts, it was written on the inside of the tomb for reference by the deceased...
- Book of the Heavens
Late New Kingdom
- Books of the Sky
After the Amarna Period
Amarna Period
The Amarna Period was an era of Egyptian history during the latter half of the Eighteenth Dynasty when the royal residence of the pharaoh and his queen was shifted to Akhetaten in what is now modern-day Amarna...
, a new set of funerary texts began to be used. These centre on representations of Nut
Nut (fruit)
A nut is a hard-shelled fruit of some plants having an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts...
, the sky goddess. They represent the nighttime journey of the sun into and through her body, with her giving birth to the rejuvenated sun in the morning. From the tomb
KV2
Tomb KV2, found in the Valley of the Kings, is the tomb of Ramesses IV, and is located low down in the main valley, between KV7 and KV1. It has been open since antiquity and contains a large amount of graffiti.-Contemporary plans of the tomb:...
of Ramesses IV
Ramesses IV
Heqamaatre Ramesses IV was the third pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. His name prior to assuming the crown was Amonhirkhopshef...
onwards two of these Books of the Sky were usually placed next to each other on the ceiling of royal tombs.
-
- Book of Nut
- Book of the Day
- Book of the Night
- Book of the Heavenly CowBook of the Heavenly CowThe Book of the Heavenly Cow, or The Book of the Cow of Heaven, is an Ancient Egyptian text thought to have originated during the Amarna Period and, in part, describes the reasons for the imperfect state of the world in terms of humankind's rebellion against the supreme sun god Ra...