Journey through the afterlife: ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead
Curator
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This exhibition sets out to explore ancient Egyptian beliefs around the afterlife.
Using the rich textual and visual material of the Book of the Dead papyri and innovative interpretative and display techniques, the Book of the Dead opens a window on to the complex belief system of the ancient Egyptians where death and afterlife were a central focus.
This exhibition will reveal the Egyptians’ hopes and fears about life after death and will explain how the Book of the Dead was thought to equip the dead with knowledge and power which would guide them safely through the dangers of the hereafter and ultimately ensure eternal life.
The exhibition will include the longest Book of the Dead in the world, the Greenfield Papyrus, which measures 37 metres in length and before it was displayed at the British Museum in 2010, had never been shown publicly in its entirety before. This treasure will be exhibited alongside a dazzling array of painted coffins, gilded masks, amulets, jewellery, tomb figurines and mummy trappings. State-of-the-art visualisation technology will provide new ways of accessing and understanding the funerary beliefs and processes of the Ancient Egyptians.
Journey through the afterlife: ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead was on display at the British Museum from 4 November 2010 to 6 March 2011.
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