Maybe the most stunning presentation of this book in 3300 years: Upon death, it was the practice for some Egyptians to produce a papyrus manuscript called the Book of Going Forth by Day or the Book of the Dead. A Book of the Dead included declarations and spells to help the deceased in the afterlife. The Papyrus of Ani is the manuscript compiled for Ani, the royal scribe of Thebes. Written and illustrated almost 3,300 years ago, The Papyrus of Ani is a papyrus manuscript with cursive hieroglyphs and color illustrations. It is the most beautiful, best-preserved, and complete example of ancient Egyptian philosophical and religious thought known to exist.
The Egyptian Book of the Dead is an integral part of the world's spiritual heritage. It is an artistic rendering of the mysteries of life and death. For the first time since its creation, this ancient papyrus is now available in full color with an integrated English translation directly below each image. This twentieth-anniversary edition of The Egyptian Book of the Dead has been revised and expanded to include:
- Significant improvements to the display of the images of the Papyrus.
- A survey of the continuing importance of ancient Egypt in modern culture.
- A detailed history of Egyptian translation and philology since the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799.
- And, a state-of-the-art Annotated Bibliography and Study Guide for Ancient Egyptian studies.
- Includes a detailed history of Egyptian scholarship, an annotated bibliography and study guide, and several improvements to the color plates.
- Makes an excellent gift for people interested in world history and ancient religions.