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1275 BCE, c. 19 Dynasty, New Kingdom (Egypt)
Papyrus
Thebes, Egypt (now British Museum)
In Hu-Nefer's scroll, the figures have all the formality of stance,shape, and attitude of traditional egyptian art. Abstract figures and hieroglyphs alike are aligned rigidly. Nothing here was painted in the flexible, curvilinear style suggestive of movement that was evident in the art of Amarna and Tutankhamen. The return to conservatism is unmistakable.
Form:
Drawings and painting on papyrus scroll, a reed that grew in the Nile Delta, made into paper.
Function:
To prove Hunefer, the white-robed priest depicted in the above scenes, had lived an ethical life and deserved to enter the afterlife.
Content:
In upper left, Hunefer is speaking to a line of crouching deities, explaining how he has lived a good life and deserves to life in the afterlife. He is depicted in a white robe. Hunefer is led by Anubis, a jackel-headed god, who is carrying an ankh, a symbol of eternal life. Anubis is seen with a scale, weighing Hunefer's heart with a feather from Ma'at (associated with living an ethical, ordered life.) If the feather weighs more, he has lived an ethical life. If heart weighs more, the beast Ammit (crocodile, lion, hippo beast) will devour Hunefer if he's found to have lived an unethical life.
Ibis, Faaf, is the scribe recording the deeds of Hunefer, with a green ibis-like head.
Horus (a falcon-headed son of Osiris; holds an ankh in his hand) introduces Hunefer to Osiris, the enthroned deity on the far right.
Isis, Osiris's wife, and Neftis, Osiris's sister, stand behind Osiris and join him in making the judgment on Hunefer.
Ibis, Faaf, is the scribe recording the deeds of Hunefer, with a green ibis-like head.
Horus (a falcon-headed son of Osiris; holds an ankh in his hand) introduces Hunefer to Osiris, the enthroned deity on the far right.
Isis, Osiris's wife, and Neftis, Osiris's sister, stand behind Osiris and join him in making the judgment on Hunefer.
Context:
Book of Dead was an ancient Egyptian text with spells, prayers, and incantations that helped the dead in the afterlife.
Book of Dead was part of "pyramid text" writing (instructions for afterlife.)
Pyramid Text preceded "coffin texts:" instructions written on coffins, and also writing on shrouds.
Originally texts for the afterlife were just for kings, but then extended to those of wealth or priestly status.
Hunefer had a priestly status, this text was found buried with him.
Egyptians believed that people had an afterlife only if they had lived an ethical life.
Lotus blossom, ankh, and ostrich feathers depict eternal life.
Horus's 4 children are responsible for caring for Hunefer's internal organs; they represent the 4 cardinal points.
During Armarna period in Egypt there were very atypical, angular depictions of humans; this scroll followed that period and returned to the original Egyptian depictions of deities and the human form.
Book of Dead was an ancient Egyptian text with spells, prayers, and incantations that helped the dead in the afterlife.
Book of Dead was part of "pyramid text" writing (instructions for afterlife.)
Pyramid Text preceded "coffin texts:" instructions written on coffins, and also writing on shrouds.
Originally texts for the afterlife were just for kings, but then extended to those of wealth or priestly status.
Hunefer had a priestly status, this text was found buried with him.
Egyptians believed that people had an afterlife only if they had lived an ethical life.
Lotus blossom, ankh, and ostrich feathers depict eternal life.
Horus's 4 children are responsible for caring for Hunefer's internal organs; they represent the 4 cardinal points.
During Armarna period in Egypt there were very atypical, angular depictions of humans; this scroll followed that period and returned to the original Egyptian depictions of deities and the human form.
