The European Invention of the Ancient Egyptian Afterlife
We often imagine the ancient Egyptians as obsessed with death and the afterlife. But what if the familiar story of judgment and salvation owes more to modern ideas than ancient one
Exploring the Book of the Dead through the Getty Collection
November 2023 | Vol. 11.11 By Sara E. Cole “Book of the Dead” is a modern term to describe a series of ancient Egyptian ritual spells (instructions and incantations). These hel
Ancient Egyptian Texts for the Afterlife?
Ancient Egyptian funerary texts have been a source of fascination since their discovery. But do these texts describe a coherent vision of an afterlife, or is that a 19th century ac
Birth and Rebirth in Ancient Egypt
Birth is one of the most dangerous parts of life. But for ancient Egyptians the birth of a child had a counterpart: the rebirth after death. Both of these were necessary to maintai