The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-22
THE BOOK OF THE DEAD.
a VERY RRMARkABLE EGYPTIAN
MANUSCRIPT.

Which DlSplayS IHo NscAAs AOA Va VIZ
Ancient Egyptians.
From the London Times.
Tn all the wide range of archaeological
knowledge which has, practically, sprung
ito existence during the last fifty years,
.bere il no subject which engrosses the
...antion OF scholars in all branches of
Leaning more than the history of the origin
- DEVELOPMENT of the civilization OF the
ancient people Of Egypt. The hoary an
tiouitg Of this wonderful land, the dark
MYSTERY which shrouded the source Of its
T'A-viying river, aud the far-famed learn
So If its inhabitants have fascinated the
--,iods of ali thinking people and drawn
thair attention to the nation whose
-Tiedom had become proverblal among
80 cultured Greeks nearly 1000 years
aSo The interest In the Egyptian language,
.ceused by Champollion's wonderful discov-
o-v of the key to the bieroglyphics, has
.:var Iessened. On the other hand. when
- v,as once recognized that the Informa-
ron obtained from native Egyptian sources
vas correct, it has steadily increased. The
Historian has been able to correct and mod
ifv the statements Of the Greek and Roman
writer's on Egypt, and to make a system
Of chronology which is fairly trust
the most important results for the
comparative study Of language from in
scrintions on obelisks, temples, tombs and
nanvri. and the student of religion is now
shie TO prove from the works of Egyptian
writer's that the Egyptians were not mere
hind adorers of birds, animals and reptiles,
hut that they possessed conception OF the
naity. and experienced religious emotions
as stirring as those of christianity itself.
Al the present moment the religious beliefs
of the Egyptians form one of the chief sub
iects of study of a number of eminent
Psychologists, and the general public are
anxiously awaiting the results of
their Investigations The museums of
Enrope contain a large number of
pspyri inscribed with religious texts to
which the name Book of the Deadn has
commonly been given. These books" are
composed of a number of chapters which
treat of the condition of man after death,
and of the vicissitudes of his passage
through the under world. The chapters, as
thew are called, although they are as indie
pendent of eacl other as are the Hebrew
Psalms, falls sometimes into groups; but
they rarely occur in fixed order until after
about B. G. 600.
NOT A RITUAL, BUT BOOK FOR THE DEAD
MANS USE.
They do not form ritual; indeed, to ap-
end and aim for which they were written
was to give power to the departed and to
enable him to enjoy the privileges of his
new life With this idea in view, it was
the custom of the Egyptians to inscribe ex-
tracts and even whole chapters from this
shook" upon collins, walls of tombs and
papyri for the benefit of the departed. We
find that this custom obtained as far back
as the time of Kings Pepi, Teta and Unas
obOut ha lie
of the pyramids of these kings were
found to be completely covered with
Intercollegiate inscriptions of a religious ma
ture. About B. G. 2600 this class of texts
was inscribed upon sarcophagi, but it was
not until about 1000 years later that the
Egyptians wrote their books of the dead
upon papyrus, and buried them with the
dead. Sometimes the roll OF papyrus was
placed between the legs, and sometimes 1t
was fastened under the bandages, at others
it was laid loose in the coffin, or even in a
convenient place near the coffin. The
length and execution of the work depends
entirely upon the fancy of the relatives
Books Of the dead illuminated and plain
formed part Of the stock-in-trade of the
undertakers. If the purchaser were rich
be would probably select the best copy
then in stock; If poor he would be content
with simple undecorated text. In these
stock copies blank spaces were left to re-
Ceive the names Of the departed for whom
they were purchased. Copies are extant in
which, through omission or neglect, no name
whatever has been inserted. Cheap copies
generally implied careless Or ignorant work
on the part of the scribe 1t must not,
however, be supposed that bad OF careless
work does not exist in the most handsome
and expensive. for some of the handsomest
papyrl known contain plumbers which show
not only that the scribe was car eless,
out also that he did not understand
What he was writing. The number
OF the chapters varies according to the
length OF the papyrus, and the choice prob
aaoly depended on the fashions of the time.
NO known papyrus contains ali tine chapters
IA wlich were included In the collection known
as tne Book Of the Dead" and the variant
Ieaulhgs OF the different manuscripts are
legion. Scholars like Mr.. Renouf, who
uevoteu their lives to the study of these
leAts ana IN deciding what are sne correct
leadlng from the most ancient manuscripts
lave decided that even as early as the tenth
ooo9 eVenth dynasties-that is about B. @.
@ SI9O, the meaning of many parts of the
D''A VI the Dead" required explanation.
SPLENDID EXAMPLE.
LIE existence of the Book Of the Dead
n,sy, according to MIR. Renouf, be divided
an'o tnree distinct periods: 1, the period
Atno 80 w Gue elRnUeentn dynasty Us. T..
a1oo-IaVV) 2, the period of the Theban
H I5noH OF the New Empire (B. G. 1900
w., ana, .. the later centuries of Egypt
au history. Although the copies written
aurlng the second period contain many
u.efpolatlons and corrupt readings, it has
IN O9n considered of great importance to
oaln, nrst of all a standard text of this
In TvIn sion Psychologists have examined
nun me greatest care all the most ancient
n anurc 80 OF this period, and the Leyden
b pn2 OF Kenpa, together with the British
u'0Uih papyri of Hunefer and Pashetu
ta d,e Yielded valuable results. If we mis-
sr n' not' the papyrus of Ami, a beautiful
rn.. smttte OF which is published by the
n gIslees of the British museum in the
p p,etulu volume before us, will do more to
n bo ,vHSr THIS object than any other papyrus
job+, AuoWn. The manuscript is about
Io7na -elgnt feet long, and is inscribed with
hue SIXTY of the most ancient
apeers Of the Theban rescension,
VI (Which which, the 175th, here appears for
NJ nfst time in completes form.
sr1 enIire length of the papyrus is inter
boI eu Il, with large and small vignettes.
h T NIL Illustrate the hieroglyphic text; these
Ividn Uss beautifully painted in colors, the
Avn tss OF which is remarkable. We
NJ from the text that this fine piece of
tbo was executed for Api, scribe
Sacred Revenue of all the
dt Ihebes and diractor oe the