British Museum



STOP 35Book of the Dead of Hunefer c 1290 BCYCA65779Dept: AES358 words/approx. 2:40Pronunciation ListPapyrusHuneferAnubisIbisThothOsirisNARRATOR: This image is just one section of a long papyrus roll. It contains spells from the Book of the Dead. Curator John Taylor:JOHN TAYLOR::17 On this document we have one of the most visually impressive images showing the last judgment. This is what they thought every Egyptian had to pass through before they could enter the afterlife. NARRATOR: The Book of the Dead was part illustrated guidebook, part instruction manual, full of spells to help the dead safely travel to the afterlife. This image was created around 1290 BC for man named Hunefer to take with him to his tomb. On the left, dressed in white, is Hunefer himself. He walks hand in hand with Anubis, the jackal-headed god who guides the dead on their journey. They stop in front of an enormous pair of scales. Anubis kneels and places Hunefer’s heart on the left side of the scale. JOHN TAYLOR::40 And he’s weighing it against an image of truth and justice, which takes the form of a feather. The idea is the heart must balance against the feather of truth. //That means also he’ll be accepted into the next life. NARRATOR: In an inscription, Hunefer speaks to his own heart:ACTOR VOICE: HUNEFER:Do not stand against me as a witness, do not oppose me in the court! Do not make my name stink in front of the great god, lord of the West!NARRATOR: Hunefer is right to be worried. JOHN TAYLOR:1:00 If things go wrong, then the heart sinks down in the balance--that shows he’s lived a bad life.NARRATOR: In that case, Hunefer will be devoured by the monster nearby with a crocodile’s head, a lion’s body and a hippo’s hindquarters—the three most dangerous animals in Egypt’s Nile Valley.Moving to the right, the Ibis-headed god Thoth writes down the results. He reports good news:ACTOR VOICE: GOD THOTH:His heart has come from the scales and it has not been found faulty.NARRATOR: To the right, Hunefer appears again. He’s escorted to an audience with Osiris, the god of the underworld, who welcomes him to the afterlife from his throne.JOHN TAYLOR: 1:27 So it’s visually a powerful rendering of the kinds of hopes and fears that all ancient Egyptians had. ................
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