Book of the Dead of Kha

The deceased Kha and his wife Merit worship Osiris, Lord of the Underworld and Judge of the Dead, detail of a vignette from the Book of the Dead of Kha. The deceased needed all the help he or she could get on his or her long journey to the afterlife, a place full of evil creatures, ferocious animals, magical portals and lakes of fire.

The Book of the Dead, which were sort of guides written on papyrus for Egyptians’ afterlife, contain formulas that should be recited to activate the power of magical amulets.

The Book of the Dead is a papyrus roll that is a sort of guide for the afterlife. It is composed of magic religious texts, accompanied by illustrations. These are intended to provide protection to the deceased and help him or her make his or her journey to the afterlife, which was considered dangerous and full of obstacles to overcome.

New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, ca. 1386-1349 BC. Dimension: 34 x 1380 cm. From the funerary chamber of the Tomb of architect Kha (TT8), Deir el-Medina, West Thebes. Schiaparelli excavations (1903-1906). Now in the Egyptian Museum, Turin. S. 8316/03 = S.8438