Image from here.
The Egyptian book of the dead
The book of the dead is a series of texts found with mummified pharaohs. They were filled with important "spells" to ensure that the pharaohs soul would pass on to the afterlife. It was believed that in order to make it to the afterlife, the pharaohs soul had to pass through a dangerous place called Tuat. The book of the dead is actually made up of three different groups of texts, not one book/scroll.
The pyramid texts are filled with important information that the pharaoh needed to survive in the afterlife. It was like a handbook for the pharaoh so that he knew what to do in the afterlife. It said that he would be treated well because of his connection to the gods.
The coffin texts were very very long scrolls of papyrus that contain lots of spells needed for the pharaohs. They were believed to be important as pieces of them were carved into pieces of furniture so that the pharaoh would remember them. However, they were not arranged.
The Saite Compilations were like a summary of the pyramid and coffin texts. Also, more people used them, not just pharaohs. It also contained spells in an arranged order, using chapters.
The spells took up a large portion of the book. They were arranged based on what they did.
"Chapters 1-16
The pyramid texts are filled with important information that the pharaoh needed to survive in the afterlife. It was like a handbook for the pharaoh so that he knew what to do in the afterlife. It said that he would be treated well because of his connection to the gods.
The coffin texts were very very long scrolls of papyrus that contain lots of spells needed for the pharaohs. They were believed to be important as pieces of them were carved into pieces of furniture so that the pharaoh would remember them. However, they were not arranged.
The Saite Compilations were like a summary of the pyramid and coffin texts. Also, more people used them, not just pharaohs. It also contained spells in an arranged order, using chapters.
The spells took up a large portion of the book. They were arranged based on what they did.
"Chapters 1-16
- The dead person goes into his/her tomb
- The soul passes into the Tuat
- The soul returns so the body could move and speak again
- Explains the myths of the origins of the gods
- Describes places in the Tuat
- Helps the dead soul live and be reborn
- The dead soul travels the sky in the sun-boat as one of the “blessed dead”
- Soul journeys to the Tuat for an audience with Osiris at sunset
- Tells how the dead person becomes one of the gods after his/her vindication before the gods
- Details the protective amulets and food the dead needs
- Describes places in the Tuat the dead will travel through" (From Ancient Egypt Online)
The weighing of the heart
One spell is about weighing the heart of the pharaoh. The gods were believed to have asked the pharaoh if he/she had committed a series of crimes, and judged them based on the answers. A depiction of the heart weighing was quite terrifying- the heart was weighed against a special feather, and if it weighed more, Ammat the devourer ate it! (Please wait while I puke...) But, if the heart weighed the same, the pharaoh could pass on to the afterlife. The heart was believed to be the most important part of the body, controlling thoughts, emotion, and life. They were wrong. The brain does that, but they believed that Ammat eating it would kill the dead soul. Yikes.
Citations
“The Book of the Dead.” Ancient Egypt Online, www.ancient-egypt-online.com/book-of-the-dead.html.