An Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead

By Paul F. O' Rourke,

Book cover of An Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Papyrus of Sobekmose

Book description

The Book of the Dead of Sobekmose, in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, New York, is one of the most important surviving examples of the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead genre. Such `books' - papyrus scrolls - were composed of traditional funerary texts, including magic spells, that were…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked An Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I remember being a kid in a museum, staring at the figurines making up a strange judgment scene. Gods weighing a man’s heart against a feather – what was that all about? If you want to understand the ancient Egyptians, you need a good Book of the Dead. This translation of the goldsmith Sobekmose’s burial copy won’t bring any cursed mummies back to life, but it gives you a road map to ancient Egyptian paradise... and some neat spells to control demons, if they happen to turn up along the way. 

Want books like An Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like An Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead.

Browse books like An Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead

Book cover of Crocodile on the Sandbank
Book cover of Red Land, Black Land: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
Book cover of Akhenaten: History, Fantasy and Ancient Egypt

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,592

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in ancient Egypt, mummies, and Egypt?

Ancient Egypt 123 books
Mummies 17 books
Egypt 224 books