DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18905#0012
VI
PREFACE.
3. The Papyrus of Netchemet, who was probably the daughter of the priest king, Her-
H eru-sa-Amen, by the “ royal mother” Hurere, who lived at the beginning of the period of the
rule of the priest kings over Egypt, about b.c. 1000. This papyrus is inscribed in hieratic, with a
small but interesting series of chapters of the “ Book of the Deacl,” and with a number of vignettes
from the “ Book of Knowing that which is in the Underworld,” some of which are not found elsewhere.
4. The Papyrus of Kerasher, which is inscribed with a copy of the “ Book of Breathings ”
in hieratic, and belongs to the late Ptolemaic or Roman period. This work represents the attempt
made to include all the essential elements of belief in a future life in a work shorter and more simple
than the “ Book of the Dead.” The idea of material happiness is, however, more fully developed,
and some passages seem to suggest the existence of a belief in the resurrection of the corruptible
body, and of a hope for a life in the world beyoncl the grave not unlike that which had been passecl
upon earth. This work was declared to be the composition of Thoth, the scribe of the gods.
5. The Papyrus of Nu, the overseer of the house of the overseer of the chancery, the son of
Amen-hetep, an official who held similar offices, and the lacly Senseneb. This document is probably a
composition of the first half of the XVIIIth dynasty, about b.c. 1650, and appears to be the oldest
illustrated copy of the “ Book of the Deacl ” now known. The whole papyrus is most carefully
written, and seems to be the work of a single hand, probably that of Nu himself; it is no mere copy
hastily written by a scribe for sale, but a document which bears m almost every line the impress of
care and knowledge. It contains a considerable number of Chapters which have not hitherto been
founcl in papyri of the Theban Recension, ancl also a large number of others which have, up to
the present, been known from a single document only.
The coloured facsimiles of the papyri of Idunefer and Anhai are accompanied with translations, and
transcripts (printed in hieroglyphic type), with interlinear transliterations and translations of such passages
as are not found in the volume of translation which was published with the Second Edition of the text of
the “ Papyrus of Ani in the British Museum.” The facsimiles of the papyri of Oueen Netchemet and
Kerasher, which are written in hieratic, are accompanied with full transcripts into hieroglyphics, in the hope
that they may be useful to students of the hieratic character, ancl complete translationsr have also been
appended. The Papyrus of Nu has been included in this volume as a most valuable example of an
independent text much earlier than those of the other four papyri. It has been thought sufficient
to give here the complete transcript only, for, although it contains certain Chapters which are independent
of those already translated in the “ Papyrus of Ani in the British Museum,” at the present moment it
seems more expedient to defer the consideration of a full translation until further material of the same
period becomes available.
E. A. WALLIS BUDGE.
Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiouities,
Britisi-i Museum.
June 30th, 1899.
PREFACE.
3. The Papyrus of Netchemet, who was probably the daughter of the priest king, Her-
H eru-sa-Amen, by the “ royal mother” Hurere, who lived at the beginning of the period of the
rule of the priest kings over Egypt, about b.c. 1000. This papyrus is inscribed in hieratic, with a
small but interesting series of chapters of the “ Book of the Deacl,” and with a number of vignettes
from the “ Book of Knowing that which is in the Underworld,” some of which are not found elsewhere.
4. The Papyrus of Kerasher, which is inscribed with a copy of the “ Book of Breathings ”
in hieratic, and belongs to the late Ptolemaic or Roman period. This work represents the attempt
made to include all the essential elements of belief in a future life in a work shorter and more simple
than the “ Book of the Dead.” The idea of material happiness is, however, more fully developed,
and some passages seem to suggest the existence of a belief in the resurrection of the corruptible
body, and of a hope for a life in the world beyoncl the grave not unlike that which had been passecl
upon earth. This work was declared to be the composition of Thoth, the scribe of the gods.
5. The Papyrus of Nu, the overseer of the house of the overseer of the chancery, the son of
Amen-hetep, an official who held similar offices, and the lacly Senseneb. This document is probably a
composition of the first half of the XVIIIth dynasty, about b.c. 1650, and appears to be the oldest
illustrated copy of the “ Book of the Deacl ” now known. The whole papyrus is most carefully
written, and seems to be the work of a single hand, probably that of Nu himself; it is no mere copy
hastily written by a scribe for sale, but a document which bears m almost every line the impress of
care and knowledge. It contains a considerable number of Chapters which have not hitherto been
founcl in papyri of the Theban Recension, ancl also a large number of others which have, up to
the present, been known from a single document only.
The coloured facsimiles of the papyri of Idunefer and Anhai are accompanied with translations, and
transcripts (printed in hieroglyphic type), with interlinear transliterations and translations of such passages
as are not found in the volume of translation which was published with the Second Edition of the text of
the “ Papyrus of Ani in the British Museum.” The facsimiles of the papyri of Oueen Netchemet and
Kerasher, which are written in hieratic, are accompanied with full transcripts into hieroglyphics, in the hope
that they may be useful to students of the hieratic character, ancl complete translationsr have also been
appended. The Papyrus of Nu has been included in this volume as a most valuable example of an
independent text much earlier than those of the other four papyri. It has been thought sufficient
to give here the complete transcript only, for, although it contains certain Chapters which are independent
of those already translated in the “ Papyrus of Ani in the British Museum,” at the present moment it
seems more expedient to defer the consideration of a full translation until further material of the same
period becomes available.
E. A. WALLIS BUDGE.
Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiouities,
Britisi-i Museum.
June 30th, 1899.