Scientists have made a remarkable find in an Egyptian sarcophagus. They found what may be the oldest picture book in the world. It is a 4,000-year-old copy of a book called The Book of Two Ways and is arguably the oldest ever excavated.
Understanding death and a guide
For the ancient Egyptians, death was not the end, but rather the beginning of a new existence and transition to another reality. According to the ancient Egyptian ideas about the afterlife, every person after death will be judged by the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead Osiris.
The Ancient Egyptian Guide to the Underworld may become the oldest illustrated book in the world. Found "Book of Two Ways" - a mystical roadmap of the ancient Egyptian underworld. In fact, it can be considered a guide on how to reach Rostau, the kingdom of Osiris.
Recent find
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A project called Dayr al-Barsha was launched in 2012, but only recently archaeologists have found for the first time this valuable ancient Egyptian text containing spells and instructions on how to get to the underworld. It was discovered in one of the five burial complexes of nomarch Akhanakht. In the dungeon, scientists have discovered the remains of a sarcophagus that had been neglected by previous generations of archaeologists and marauders.
Despite the damage, the text can be read
“On most of the pieces of the coffin, all traces of paint and ink have disappeared. Most of the texts have survived, but many are in very poor condition. As was customary in Dayr el Barsh during the early Middle Ages, these texts were first inscribed in ink on wood or on a thin layer of plaster. They were subsequently made permanent by wood engraving.
However, after the layer of plaster, whitewash and ink disappears, only the deeper parts of the scratches remain on it, and they almost never lead to legible reading of the text. The lower part is in somewhat better condition, as ink and paint persist in many places, although the remaining traces are extremely vague and almost illegible with the naked eye, the researchers write in their article published in the Journal of Egyptian Archeology.
It was the tomb of a woman
In the first minutes, the researchers were a little surprised, because the name Jehutinakht was engraved on some of the boards, and they thought that the tomb contained the body of the pharaoh. However, there was a woman inside named Ankh who was apparently associated with an elite official, although Ankh is referred to as "he" in the book.
“I found it funny the idea that how you survive in the underworld is expressed in masculine terms,” said Harco Willems, an Egyptologist at the University of Leuven in Belgium. Despite the figure of Maat, the most important religious concept in ancient Egypt was that male gods were responsible for creation and rebirth.
What's in the book
“Typically, each person's book varied in length and luxury, depending on the status and wealth of the owner,” reports the New York Times.
“The found specimen starts with text, which is circled in red and is designated as a ring of fire,” said Dr. Willems. "The text tells of the sun god passing through this protective ring of fire to reach Osiris." The gate is also distinguished by two loops, denoting separate roads to the afterlife, surrounded by evil spirits and other supernatural beings.
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