11/2/09

BR- Where did the workers used to

build the great pyramids (Khufu,
Kephren, Menkaure) come from?
Today: Understanding the Purpose
and Content of the Egyptian Book
of the Dead
- Late Work Is Due Today!
- Chapter 5-7 Outside work will be due on
Wednesday.
 The Egyptian Book of the
Dead

What we call the Egyptian Book of the Dead was known to the
Egyptians as Reu nu pert em hru translated that means “The Chapters
of coming forth by day.” It is a collection of chapters made up of
magic spells and formulas. It was illustrated and written on papyrus.
These papyri were commissioned by the deceased before their death.
Like most products these text came in different qualities. You could
commission the finest quality papyrus money could buy or you could
purchase one "off the rack" and have a scribe fill in the blanks with
your name.
This collection of funerary chapters began to appear in Egyptian
tombs around 1600 BC. It can be thought of as the deceased's
guidebook to a happy afterlife. The text was intended to be
read by the deceased during their journey into the Underworld.
It enabled the deceased to overcome obstacles and not lose
their way. It did this by teaching passwords, giving clues, and
revealing routes that would allow the deceased to answer
questions and navigate around hazards. It would grant the help
and protection of the gods while proclaiming the deceased's
identity with the gods. The Papyrus of Ani is one of the finest
and most complete examples of this type of Egyptian funerary
text to survive. The Papyrus of Ani now resides in The British
Museum, London.
 The Funeral Procession of the Royal
Scribe Ani.From the Papyrus of Ani.
(c. 1400 B.C.)The British Museum,
London
• The Egyptians believed that the human soul used the
first night after death to travel into the afterlife.
However, the body, which the Egyptians believed was
an essential element to the afterlife had to be
mummified to preserve it for eternity. The
mummification process took 72 days to perform
properly. This was the time to put finishing touches on
the tomb and to pack all the deceased's worldly
possessions, which surely would be needed in the
afterlife.
The Funeral Procession of the Royal Scribe Ani.
• In this picture we see servants or hired hands carrying Ani's home furnishings,
Servants are dragging a chest on which Anubis is sitting, inside the chest is
more of Ani's worldly possessions or perhaps his canopic jars. All of these objects
will be placed in the tomb for his use in the afterlife. In front of them are eight male
mourners dressed in white. Ani's mummy rides on a funerary boat which is being
drawn by oxen. Very hard to see in this picture are the goddesses Isis and
Nephthys who are usually shown in this scene protecting the dead. Ani's wife
mourns at his side. The man wearing a leopard skin and turned back towards Ani's
mummy is a priest, he is burning incense.
• There are men carrying more of Ani's belongings. The group of
women in clothed in blue are a party of paid, professional mourners
who wail and pat dirt on their heads. This was an Egyptian show of
mourning. The cow and calf are food offerings that will be used for
the funeral feast.
• Ani's mummy stands before the entrance of his tomb, in the
protective embrace of Anubis. His wife mourns at his feet. Behind
her are offerings and three priests. One reads from a papyrus, while
the other two are about to perform an important ceremony called
the "opening of the mouth and eyes." This ceremony was thought to
restore the mummy's ability to see, breathe, eat and drink
The mummy stands before the entrance of his tomb, in the
protective embrace of Anubis. The two women are probably family
members, they are patting dirt on their heads, this was a sign of
mourning. Behind them are three priests. The priest wearing the
leopard skin (a sign of priesthood) burns incense and presents
offerings of food and drink, while the other two are about to perform
the important ceremony of “opening of the mouth.” This ceremony
was thought to restore the mummy's ability to see, breathe, eat and
drink.
 The Hall of Maat
• The Hall of Maat is where the judgment of the dead was performed. This was
done by weighing one's heart (conscience) against the feather of Maat (truth and
justice). Here we see Anubis leading Ani to the scales of Maat. Anubis weights
Ani’s heart against the feather to see if he is worthy of joining the gods in the
Fields of Peace. Ammut is also present, as a demon waiting to devour Hunefer's
heart should he prove unworthy. Thoth stands to the right of the scales recording
the results. Having passed this test Ani is now lead by Horus to meet the King of
the dead, Osiris. The throne of Osiris rests on a pool of water from which a lotus
flower is growing, upon the lotus stand the four sons of Horus. Behind the throne
of Osiris stands Isis and her sister Nephthys.
Sekhet-Hetepet - The Fields of Peace.
• Ani pays his respects to the gods who dwell in Sekhet-Hetepet (Fields of
Peace) and asks the gods to help him to enter into Sekhet-Hetepet so that he
may "become a khu, drink, plow, reap, fight, make love, never be in a state of
servitude and always be in a position of authority therein".
Why did you need to be buried with your
own copy of the “Book of the Dead?”
-The passage into the afterlife was a series
of challenges.
-The book was your “cheat code” to get you
through each stage.
Stage 1 - Weighing of the heart
Like you saw above this is where the heart was
“weighed” but, the book could offer spells to help
balance the equation.
O my heart which I had from my mother! O my
heart of different ages! Do not stand up as a
witness against me, do not be opposed to me in
the tribunal, do not be hostile to me in the
presence of the keeper of the balance, for you
are my ka which was in my body, the protector
who made my members hale. Go forth to the
happy place whereto we speed, do not tell lies
about me in the presence of the god; it is indeed
well that you should hear!
 Other Stages - Guardians
On the journey to the fields of peace, the person’s
soul would have to pass by several guardians or
gatekeepers using secret words.
The third gate: the name of its gatekeeper is 'One who eats the
Putrefaction of his Posterior'; the name of its guardian is
'Alert of Face'; the name of the announcer in it is
'Gateway'.Words spoken by the Osiris-[name], the justified,
when arriving at the gate: 'I am the secret one of the
cloudburst, the one who separated the Two Companions. It
is in order that I might drive away evil from Osiris that I have
come. I am the one who clothed his own standard, who
emerges in the Wereret-Crown. I have established offerings
in Abydos. Open the way for me in Rosetjau because I have
relieved the sickness in Osiris. I have painted his perch.
Make way for me so that he might shine in Rosetjau.
 Last stage - 42 Confessions
In the final stage the person had to make 42 “negative
confessions.” The book would help them make these
confessions.
Wide-of-stride who comes from On: I have not done
evil.
Flame-grasper who comes from Kheraha: I have not
robbed.
Long-nosed who comes from Khmun: I have not
coveted.
Shadow-eater who comes from the cave: I have not
stolen.
Savage-faced who comes from Rosetjau: I have not
killed people...
Links..

• http://web.ukonline.co.uk/gavin.egypt/papy
rus.htm
• http://www.egyptartsite.com/ani.html
Exit Slip - 10 Points

Describe what the Egyptian “Book of the

Dead” was and what it was used for.
 Chapter 7- Points to Ponder
• Pyramids were built during the old kingdom (4th
dynasty)
• Construction was done by workers and not slaves!
Pyramids were a project of national unity and pride.
• Construction could take decades (20 years)
• Limestone blocks (weighing several tons) were
quarried on site or shipped by barge on the Nile.
• Temporary cities would spring up during
construction.
• Water was used to split rocks, slide blocks.
• Construction was done from the bottom up
Complete BLM 7 Together

• Tomorrow we will review

• Test on Wednesday