THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD- E.A. WALLIS BUDGE

THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD- E.A. WALLIS BUDGE

THE PAPYRUS OF ANI, WHICH WAS AQUIRED BY THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN THE YEAR 1888, IS THE LARGEST, THE MOST PERFECT, THE BEST PRESERVED, AND THE BEST ILLUMINATED OF ALL THE PAPYRI WHICH DATE FROM THE SECOND HALF OF THE XVIIITH DYNASTY (ABOUT BC 1500 TO 1400). IT'S RARE VIGNETTES, AND HYMNS, AND CHAPTERS AND ITS DESCRIPTIVE AND INTODUCTORY RUBRICS RENDERED IT OF UNIQUE IMPORTANCE FOR THE STUDY OF THE BOOK OF THE DEAD, AND IT TAKES A HIGH PLACE AMONG AUTHORITATIVE TEXTS OF THE THEBSAN VERSION OF THE REMARKABLE WORK. ALTHOUGH IT CONTAINS LESS ONE- HALF OF THE CHAPTERS WHICH ARE COMMONLY ASSIGNED TO THAT VERSION, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT ANI'S EXALTED OFFICIAL POSITION AS CHANCELLOR OF THE ECCLESIATICAL REVENUES AND ENDOWMENTS OF ABYDOS AND THEBES WOULD HAVE INSURED A SELECTION OF SUCH CHAPTERS AS WOULD SUFFICE FOR HIS SPIRITUAL WELFARE IN THE FUTURE LIFE. WE MAY THEREFORE REGARD THE PAPYRUS OF ANI AS TYPICAL OF THE FUNERAL BOOK IN VOGUE AMONG THEBAN NOBLES OF HIS TIME.