Papyrus from the Book of
the Dead of Any
From Thebes, Egypt
19th
Dynasty, around 1250 BC
Vignettes showing agricultural
scenes
These vignettes (small scenes that illustrate
the text) accompany Spell 110 of Any's
Book of the Dead. Spell
110 is essentially a series of addresses to deities who dwell in
the 'next world', specifically the Field of
Offering and Field of Rushes. The deceased was expected to
undertake agricultural work in the Field of
Rushes.
The vignette
schematically renders areas of land surrounded by water. Any is
shown offering to three deities of the ennead (group of nine gods)
at the top, and then paddling his boat across the Lake of
Offerings. Any is also shown worshipping the 'Western
Falcon' and the 'Heron of Plenty'. He is
shown reaping, winnowing and ploughing below. The boat of Wennefer
(a name for the god
Osiris),
shown with a head of a snake, is moored on the edge of the water at
the bottom.
R.O. Faulkner, The Ancient Egyptian Book of t, (revised ed. C. A. R. Andrews) (London, The British Museum Press, 1985)
R.B. Parkinson and S. Quirke, Papyrus, (Egyptian Bookshelf) (London, The British Museum Press, 1995)
S. Quirke and A.J. Spencer, The British Museum book of anc (London, The British Museum Press, 1992)