Publisher Description

This book explores what the Book of the Dead was to the ancient Egyptians, what it means to us today, what it was believed to do, how it worked, how it was made, and ultimately what happened to it. Edited by Foy Scalf, PhD, this volume includes fourteen essays showcasing the latest research on the Book of the Dead written by thirteen internationally renown experts as well as a complete catalog of the forty-five objects on display in an associated exhibit at the Oriental Institute Museum. Two famous Book of the Dead papyri, Papyrus Milbank and Papyrus Ryerson, are reproduced in their entirety with full-color photographs among nearly 400 illustrations for the first time. Discover how the ancient Egyptians controlled their immortal destiny and sought close association with the gods through the Book of the Dead.

Table of Contents

Foreword Preface Introduction: Preparing for the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt. Foy Scalf List of Contributors Egyptian Chronology Map of Principal Areas and Sites Mentioned in the Text I. THE BIRTH OF THE BOOK OF THE DEAD 1. What Is the Book of the Dead. Foy Scalf 2. The Origins and Early Development of the Book of the Dead. Peter F. Dorman 3. Language and Script in the Book of the Dead. Emily Cole 4. The Significance of the Book of the Dead Vignettes. Irmtraut Munro II. PRODUCTION AND USE 5. How a Book of the Dead Manuscript Was Produced. Holger Kockelmann 6. The Ritual Context of the Book of the Dead. Yekaterina Barbash 7. Transmission of Funerary Literature: Saite through Ptolemaic Periods. Malcolm Mosher Jr. 8. The Archaeology of the Book of the Dead. Isabelle Regen III. MAGIC AND THEOLOGY 9. Divinization and Empowerment of the Dead. Robert K. Ritner 10. The Mysteries of Osiris. Andrea Kucharek 11. Gods, Spirits, Demons of the Book of the Dead. Rita Lucarellli IV. DEATH AND REDISCOVERY 12. The Death of the Book of the Dead. Foy Scalf 13. The Rediscovery of the Book of the Dead. Barbara Luscher 14. Necrobibliomania: (Mis)appropriations of the Book of the Dead. Steve Vinson V. CATALOG -- Human Remains -- Linen Bandages -- Heart Scarabs -- Sarcophagi and Coffins -- Papyri Cases -- Papyri -- Magic Bricks -- Funerary Figures -- Stelae -- Tomb Reliefs -- Statues and Figures of Deities -- Scribal Materials Checklist of the Exhibit Concordance of Museum Registration Numbers Bibliography

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