Archaeology & History

'Book of the Dead' scroll found in Saqqara

By T.K. Randall
January 20, 2021

Image: The Mortuary Complex of Menkaure, Egypt
Credit: Noureddin Abdulbari / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) The papyrus, which bears the name of its owner Pwkhaef, was found in a funerary temple of Queen Nearit in Saqqara next to the pyramid of her husband, the pharaoh Teti.

Saqqara itself served as the necropolis for Memphis - the capital of ancient Egypt - and contains bodies interred over an extended period of more than 3,000 years.

The scroll is inscribed with chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead - a manuscript that the ancient Egyptians believed had the power to help guide those who had died through the afterlife.

The chapter is thought to contain a series of questions and answers - a type of 'cheat sheet' designed to help the deceased navigate their way through the spiritual realm.A number of burial shafts unearthed outside the temple were also found to contain the remains of several individuals who were likely worshippers of the pharaoh who formed a cult after his death.

Interestingly, the burials suggest that this cult endured for centuries and that many of its followers had expressed a desire to be buried at this location.

So far, more than 50 wooden coffins have been unearthed there.

Source: Live Science

Tags: Egypt, Book