The Book of the Dead: With Twenty-Five Illustrations (Classic Reprint) - Softcover
Excerpt from The Book of the Dead: With Twenty-Five Illustrations
But these were not the only enemies of the dead against which precautions had to be taken, for both the mummified body and the spiritual elements which had inhabited it upon earth had to be protected from a multitude of devils and fiends, and from the powers of darkness generally. These powers of evil had hideous and terrifying shapes and forms, and their haunts were well known, for they infested the region through which the road of the dead lay when passing from this world to the Kingdom of Osiris. The "great gods" were afraid of them, and were obliged to protect themselves by the use of spells and magical names, and words of power, which were composed and written down by Thoth. In fact it was believed in very early times in Egypt that Ra the Sun-god owed his continued existence to the possession of a secret name with which Thoth had provided him. It was impossible, even for the Sun-god, to destroy this "Great Devil," but by reciting each morning the powerful spell with which Thoth had provided him he was able to paralyse all Aapep's limbs and to rise upon this world. Since then the "great gods," even though benevolently disposed towards them, were not able to deliver the dead from the devils that lived upon the "bodies, souls, spirits, shadows and hearts of the dead," the Egyptians decided to invoke the aid of Thoth on behalf of their dead and to place them under the protection of his almighty spells. Inspired by Thoth the theologians of ancient Egypt composed a large number of funerary texts which were certainly in general use under the IVth dynasty (about 3700 B. C. ), and were probably well known under the 1st dynasty, and throughout the whole period of dynastic history Thoth was regarded as the author of the "Book of the Dead."
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
But these were not the only enemies of the dead against which precautions had to be taken, for both the mummified body and the spiritual elements which had inhabited it upon earth had to be protected from a multitude of devils and fiends, and from the powers of darkness generally. These powers of evil had hideous and terrifying shapes and forms, and their haunts were well known, for they infested the region through which the road of the dead lay when passing from this world to the Kingdom of Osiris. The "great gods" were afraid of them, and were obliged to protect themselves by the use of spells and magical names, and words of power, which were composed and written down by Thoth. In fact it was believed in very early times in Egypt that Ra the Sun-god owed his continued existence to the possession of a secret name with which Thoth had provided him. It was impossible, even for the Sun-god, to destroy this "Great Devil," but by reciting each morning the powerful spell with which Thoth had provided him he was able to paralyse all Aapep's limbs and to rise upon this world. Since then the "great gods," even though benevolently disposed towards them, were not able to deliver the dead from the devils that lived upon the "bodies, souls, spirits, shadows and hearts of the dead," the Egyptians decided to invoke the aid of Thoth on behalf of their dead and to place them under the protection of his almighty spells. Inspired by Thoth the theologians of ancient Egypt composed a large number of funerary texts which were certainly in general use under the IVth dynasty (about 3700 B. C. ), and were probably well known under the 1st dynasty, and throughout the whole period of dynastic history Thoth was regarded as the author of the "Book of the Dead."
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherForgotten Books
- Publication date2018
- ISBN 10 1330166183
- ISBN 13 9781330166185
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages50
- Rating
Buy New
Learn more about this copy
US$ 16.74
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Other Popular Editions of the Same Title
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Stock Image
The Book of the Dead: With Twenty-Five Illustrations (Classic Reprint)
Published by
Forgotten Books
(2018)
ISBN 10: 1330166183
ISBN 13: 9781330166185
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Buy with confidence! Book is in new, never-used condition 0.18. Seller Inventory # bk1330166183xvz189zvxnew
Buy New
US$ 16.74
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Book of the Dead: With Twenty-Five Illustrations (Classic Reprint)
Published by
Forgotten Books
(2018)
ISBN 10: 1330166183
ISBN 13: 9781330166185
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published 0.18. Seller Inventory # 353-1330166183-new
Buy New
US$ 16.74
Convert currency
Seller Image
The Book of the Dead: With Twenty-Five Illustrations (Classic Reprint) [Soft Cover ]
Published by
Forgotten Books
(2016)
ISBN 10: 1330166183
ISBN 13: 9781330166185
New
Soft Cover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9781330166185
Buy New
US$ 16.77
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Book of the Dead With TwentyFive Illustrations Classic Reprint
Seller:
Rating
Book Description PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000. Seller Inventory # LW-9781330166185
Buy New
US$ 18.62
Convert currency
The Book of the Dead: With Twenty-Five Illustrations (Classic Reprint)
Published by
Forgotten Books
(2018)
ISBN 10: 1330166183
ISBN 13: 9781330166185
New
Paperback
Quantity: > 20
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Print on Demand. The Book of the Dead is an ancient Egyptian codex of rituals and ceremonial practices which aim to facilitate the souls of the dead in navigating the path to and paths within the afterlife. The common name for the book and its default title in the western world was invented by western Egyptologists; the original would translate approximately as The Book of Coming Forth by Day or Spells for Going Forth by Day. The work is often compared to the Christian bible as though it is a similar work, however it is a markedly different book. They share the characteristic of being compilations of texts written across a long period of time and combined into the form of an encyclopaedia spiritual. Distinct from the religious texts the reader may be more familiar with, this book will have been crafted as a particular combination for some individual in Egyptian society with enough social power to command extra help succeeding in the afterlife. To give a picture of the world our ancient Egyptian ancestors thought they must prepare for one must understand that this Book was a talisman against the dangers of the path to paradise. Gods, demons, bodily decay, spirits and disharmony of the elements within the human body were just some of the dangers that needed to be tackled, there was even the prospect of a second death, of the soul, to contend with. While this book, released and restored by the British Museum, was valuable to our ancestors as a passport to paradise, for us it is a scarcely less majestic guide to understanding our own origins and beliefs. print-on-demand item. Seller Inventory # 9781330166185_0
Buy New
US$ 14.85
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Book of the Dead: With Twenty-Five Illustrations (Classic Reprint)
Published by
Forgotten Books
(2016)
ISBN 10: 1330166183
ISBN 13: 9781330166185
New
Paperback
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 50 pages. 8.82x5.75x0.24 inches. This item is printed on demand. Seller Inventory # zk1330166183
Buy New
US$ 20.44
Convert currency
Stock Image
The Book of the Dead With TwentyFive Illustrations Classic Reprint
Seller:
Rating
Book Description PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000. Seller Inventory # LW-9781330166185
Buy New
US$ 21.19
Convert currency