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Lot Essay
The Book of the Dead was a long funerary papyrus including a large number of religious texts and spells to ensure the protection of the deceased as they travelled through the underworld towards the Afterlife. The present lot comprises, in order:
Chapter 1-7: Spell for going forth by day and back, to be said on the day of the burial, with accompanying vignettes showing the mummy arriving at the tomb.
Chapter 9-13: Spell for entering and for leaving for Underworld, with accompanying vignettes.
Chapter 15: Prayer for Re.
Chapter 16: Full height vignette of the Adoration of the sun god Re.
Chapter 17: Spell for transformation and glorification of the deceased, with accompanying vignettes.
Chapter 18: Spell for the vindication of the deceased.
Chapter 81: Spell for assuming the shape of a lotus.
Chapter 77: Spell for becoming a falcon of gold.
Chapter 88: Spell for assuming the form of a crocodile.
Chapter 87: Spell for assuming the Sa-ta snake.
Chapter 86: Spell for assuming the form of a swallow.
Chapter 26: Vignette for the spell of returning a man's heart in the afterlife.
Chapter 54: Spell for giving breath back to the deceased, with accompanying vignette of the deceased with a sail.
Chapter 59: Spell for having water in the afterlife.
Chapter 89: Spell for causing a man's Ba to be returned to his corpse, with accompanying vignette of the mummy.
Chapter 148: Spell for making provision for a spirit in the realm of the dead, with accompanying fragmentary vignette below.
Chapter 1-7: Spell for going forth by day and back, to be said on the day of the burial, with accompanying vignettes showing the mummy arriving at the tomb.
Chapter 9-13: Spell for entering and for leaving for Underworld, with accompanying vignettes.
Chapter 15: Prayer for Re.
Chapter 16: Full height vignette of the Adoration of the sun god Re.
Chapter 17: Spell for transformation and glorification of the deceased, with accompanying vignettes.
Chapter 18: Spell for the vindication of the deceased.
Chapter 81: Spell for assuming the shape of a lotus.
Chapter 77: Spell for becoming a falcon of gold.
Chapter 88: Spell for assuming the form of a crocodile.
Chapter 87: Spell for assuming the Sa-ta snake.
Chapter 86: Spell for assuming the form of a swallow.
Chapter 26: Vignette for the spell of returning a man's heart in the afterlife.
Chapter 54: Spell for giving breath back to the deceased, with accompanying vignette of the deceased with a sail.
Chapter 59: Spell for having water in the afterlife.
Chapter 89: Spell for causing a man's Ba to be returned to his corpse, with accompanying vignette of the mummy.
Chapter 148: Spell for making provision for a spirit in the realm of the dead, with accompanying fragmentary vignette below.