The Book of the Dead is an ancient Egyptian funerary text, detailing the journey of the deceased’s soul through the afterlife. It includes magical spells, charms, and incantations meant to protect the soul on its journey, and provide guidance on how best to interact with the gods and other spirits. The origins of the Book of the Dead can be traced back to the Pyramid Texts of the Old Kingdom, texts written in spells and offering instructions for the afterlife, which have been found in tombs as early as the 24th century BC.
By the New Kingdom period, the book had evolved into a set of lengthy and complex spells, adhering to a…