papyrus
- Museum number
- EA9900,18
- Description
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'Book of the Dead', Papyrus of Nebseny; Spell 110 vignette; spell 177. Scenes of the Afterlife (frame 18): the vignette shows a schematized landscape known as the Field of Offerings or Field of Reeds. Watercourses are a dominant feature. Nebseny is shown guiding a plough drawn by oxen, while above he is using a sickle to harvest the fully grown crop. Nebseny also appears seated before a table of offerings. He is also shown adoring gods and burning incense, while a divine barque is represented at lower right.
- Production date
- 1400BC-1390BC (circa)
- Dimensions
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Length: 73.80 centimetres (frame)
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Width: 35.40 centimetres (frame)
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
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Published: G. Lapp, The Papyrus of Nebseni (Catalogue of the Books of the Dead in the British Museum 3, 2004).
The ancient Egyptians' notions of the state of existence in which the dead would dwell were many and varied—changing according to the status of the individual and the time at which they lived. But a common theme was that in many ways the hereafter would resemble the environment in which they had lived on earth. This eternal "paradise" was depicted in one of the vignettes of the 'Book of the Dead', that of spell 110.
For bibliography and date see Irmtraut Munro, Untersuchungen zu den Totenbuch-Papyri der 18.ten Dynastie (London & New York 1987), 281, Katalog, a., 28; the manuscript is Aa in Naville, Tb.
J.H. Taylor and N.C. Strudwick, Mummies: Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt. Treasures from The British Museum, Santa Ana and London 2005, pp. 26-7.
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Tarasenko, Mykola. 2016. Studies on the vignettes from chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead. I, The image of mś.w Bdšt in ancient Egyptian mythology (Archaeopress Egyptology 16), Oxford, p. 84-85, 92-93, 99, fig. 62-63.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
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Exhibited:
2005-2008, California, The Bowers Museum, Death and Afterlife in Ancient Egypt
2008/9 Nov-Mar, Palaazzo Reale, Milan, L`Anima dell Acqua
- Condition
- Papyrus Survey:
Condition Details:
Papyrus: fractured, insect attack, distorted, bleached
Black ink
Red ink
None
Displayed in Room 62 until 1997
Checked for loan to Milan 2008
Mount Details:
Sandwich: glass
Binding: cloth
Object Priority: B
Mount Priority: A
Overall Condition: D
Curatorial condition comment:
good (but fragmentary near start and sporadic lacunae)
- Associated titles
Associated Title: Book of the Dead
- Acquisition date
- 1836
- Department
- Egypt and Sudan
- BM/Big number
- EA9900,18
- Registration number
- .9900.18
- Additional IDs
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Miscellaneous number: Frame.18
