The Books of the Dead are collections of hymns and religious texts that were placed with the deceased to help them overcome obstacles in the afterlife. This edition features the most complete known version of The Book of the Dead, the Papyrus of Anya, translated and commented by Dr. E. A. Wallace Budge.

Who is this book for

For lovers history and mythology.

For readers of the Myths inside and out series.

From the Author

The Papyrus of Ani, acquired in 1888 by the trustees of the British Museum, is the most valuable monument of funeral literature and is distinguished by the integrity of the composition, excellent preservation and excellent design. It dates from the second half of the 18th Dynasty, and its unique vignettes, hymns, and introductory and descriptive rubrics are of great interest for the study of the Book of the Dead, so the papyrus of Ani occupies an exceptional place among the texts of the so-called Theban version. Although it contains less than half of the chapters usually included in the lists of this version, it can still be concluded that the high position of Ani, responsible for accounting for the temple offerings and donations of Abydos and Thebes, guaranteed the selection of chapters sufficient to achieve spiritual well-being in the afterlife. Therefore, the papyrus of Ani should be considered a typical example of the funeral literature popular among the Theban nobility of that time.

The first facsimile edition of this monument appeared in 1890 and was accompanied by a preface by Le Page Renouf, who was the curator of the Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities. To meet the widespread demand for translation of the text, this book was prepared and appeared at the same time as the second facsimile edition. It includes a full description of the vignettes and a translation.