Book of the Dead facts for kids

The Book of the Dead is an important ancient Egyptian text. It's also known as The Book of Coming Forth By Day. This name describes its main goal: to help a dead person travel safely into the afterlife.

This special book was usually written on a long papyrus scroll. It was often placed inside the coffin of the person who died, or in their burial room. The most famous versions of the Book of the Dead appeared during Egypt's New Kingdom period. However, many of the spells and writings in it came from even older texts. These older texts were used in funerals during the Old and Middle Kingdoms.

What is the Book of the Dead?

The Book of the Dead is a collection of texts and spells. Ancient Egyptians believed these spells would guide and protect the deceased. They thought it would help them reach the afterlife safely. It was like a guidebook for the journey after death.

Why was it important to ancient Egyptians?

Ancient Egyptians believed in a journey after death. They thought the soul needed help to pass through dangers. The Book of the Dead provided this help. It contained prayers, spells, and instructions. These were meant to help the dead person overcome challenges. It also helped them prove they lived a good life.

How was the book made?

Most copies of the Book of the Dead were written on papyrus scrolls. Papyrus was a thick paper-like material. It was made from the papyrus plant. Sometimes, parts of the book were also written on tomb walls or coffins. The texts were often decorated with colorful pictures. These pictures showed scenes from the afterlife journey.

Who named the Book of the Dead?

The name "Book of the Dead" was not given by the ancient Egyptians. A German expert named Karl Richard Lepsius created this name. He was an Egyptologist, someone who studies ancient Egypt. Lepsius published some of these texts in 1842. He called them the "Book of the Dead."

Recent Discoveries

In 2012, some missing parts of the Book of the Dead were found. They were discovered in the Queensland Museum. Historians hoped these new pieces would help them complete a full copy of the book. This shows that even today, we are still learning about ancient Egypt.

Images for kids

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  This picture from the Papyrus of Hunefer (around 1275 BCE) shows a heart being weighed. The jackal-headed god Anubis weighs Hunefer's heart against the feather of truth. The ibis-headed god Thoth writes down the result. If the heart is as light as the feather, Hunefer can enter the afterlife. If not, a creature called Ammit (part crocodile, lion, and hippopotamus) eats it. Pictures like this were common in Egyptian Books of the Dead.

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  This is part of the Pyramid Texts. These were older writings that came before the Book of the Dead. They are carved on the tomb of Teti.

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  This is Spell 17 from the Papyrus of Ani. The picture at the top shows different gods and symbols. From left to right, you can see the god Heh (representing the Sea), a gate to the land of Osiris, the Eye of Horus, the sky cow Mehet-Weret, and a human head rising from a coffin, protected by the four Sons of Horus.

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  This Egyptian Book of the Dead painting is on a piece of a coffin (around 747–656 BCE). It shows Spell 79 (to connect the soul to the body) and Spell 80 (to stop unclear speech).

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  This picture from The Papyrus of Ani shows Spell 30B. It's called Spell For Not Letting Ani's Heart Create Opposition Against Him, in the Gods' Domain. It shows the ba (soul) of the person who died.

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  These are two 'gate spells'. The top part shows Ani and his wife facing the 'seven gates of the House of Osiris'. Below, they meet ten of the 21 'mysterious portals of the House of Osiris in the Field of Reeds'. All these gates are guarded by scary protectors.

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  This picture shows the Weighing of the Heart ceremony. It is from the Book of the Dead of Sesostris.

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  This is part of the Book of the Dead of Pinedjem II. The writing is hieratic, except for the hieroglyphs in the picture. You can also see the red ink used and where the papyrus sheets are joined together.

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  This is a close-up picture of the Papyrus of Ani. It shows the cursive hieroglyphs used in the text.

See also

In Spanish: Libro de los muertos para niños