- World Mythology
- Posts
- The Egyptian Book of the Dead
The Egyptian Book of the Dead
The Egyptian Book of the Dead isn’t your average bedtime story.
Think of it as a spiritual Swiss Army knife for the afterlife's challenges.
Ani's no mythical character; he was as real as you and me, from 13th century BCE Thebes.
His journey’s a bit more intense though - starting with mummification, where the heart is kept, considered the hub of smarts and feelings.
They packed him with natron, wrapped him up with charms and a heart scarab amulet whispering, "Don’t rat me out!"
Next up: the underworld, aka the duat - think lakes of fire and sassy half-human monsters.
Want to dodge eternal soul-eating snakes? Ani’s Book of the Dead had the right spells and codes.
He sailed through trials, wooed the 42 judgey gods, and passed the ultimate test - heart versus feather on a golden scale.
Spoiler: Ani’s heart was lighter, probably thanks to the heart scarab's plea.
The reward? An eternal chill session with his folks in a paradise where Shabti dolls do the farming for you.
Ani’s afterlife secrets? Papyrus-bound and on display since 1888 at the British Museum.
🌾Farm life forever? Only Ani knows for sure.