The Egyptian Book Of The Dead

The Egyptian Book of the Dead exhibition is currently on at the British Museum, and is well worth a visit if you are in London. Books of the Dead papyri were buried with deceased Egyptians, and contained numerous spells to assist their passage into the next world. The passage involved geting past the monstrous guardians of various gates which had to be overcome by magic.

It culminated in the court of Osiris where the deceased would profess his innocence of various things, and his heart would be weighed against Maat, the feather representing truth. Unforunately the heart could speak independently, and might not be relied upon not to testify against its owner. But never fear- there was a spell to shut it up! This fact somewhat undermines the morality of the Egyptian religion, if the gods could be fooled, and also presumably means that the beast who devours guily souls usually went hungry.

The Egyptian Book Of The Dead

The Egyptian Book Of The Dead