"Eat, drink, cheer up, because we all die sooner or later." This is even earlier than the Buddha about 2,400 years of ancient Egyptian life left 伊姆霍特普 wise maxim. So the ancient Egyptians built a terrorist underworld but very rich, so that each end of the yang world of the soul have the opportunity to get eternal life of happiness. In order to continue in the unknown world of happiness before his death, guiding life and death of the "Book of the Dead" came into being. It is like the Egyptians in the underworld of the "self-travel guide," how to guide them into the afterlife from the dead. Currently, the first time the British Museum collection "Book of the Dead" out on display to the public. So many people did not expect is that people feel from the ancient Egyptians to life with plenty of enthusiasm and hymn.
"Book of the Dead" is the mantra Underworld, a collection of amulets and passports
The first number in the British Museum exhibition of the glass case, stood a painted wooden Osiris judge of hell, like, about half a meter of it is compelling, its face and hands are very bright green, it is able to Egyptian god of eloquent speech. In its body inside, filled with a rolled papyrus, written with the above tailored to its owner, "Book of the Dead."
It seems the ancient Egyptians, who mummified body after death the soul will leave in the underground world of travel. This unknown world is like? Ancient Egyptians thought it was a dark, terrible hell, the road will meet the Heat, snakes, wild animals and the most terrifying kind of "Terminator": crocodile head, lion body, hippopotamus Tuntui evil. After numerous tests that must be dead, came the end of the journey - Maat Temple to accept the mind of the trial. A pair of scales placed in the temple, the heart of the dead will be removed and placed one end of the balance, and balance the other end of the representative of the truth of Maat feather to measure lifetime of good and evil. The perpetrators of sacrilege before his death the balance will be next to the monster swallowing, fear of God before his death, honesty is good and is able to pass the trial.
If your mind is free from sin, Pluto Osiris will allow you to continue to the underworld paradise - the wild reed. It was a fertile land, is exactly like a real paradise of Egypt. Where the corn grows taller than human beings, in the "Book of the Dead" at the end of some of these happy souls are still as alive as in the fields of labor, but it is a no risk, hunger, pain and death of the world, Jiusuan You are entrusted with a relatively heavy workload, you can also get Elizabeth for - a small slave mummy statue form - as a human figurines that they can replace the master in the afterlife of servitude.
In order to reach the happy shore, the souls who need a "research Cheats", "Book of the Dead" is such a guide. How to deal with monster hit? How should the gods met to answer? "Book of the Dead," where all painted with ready-made answers. "It's a bit like a spell, a collection of amulets and passports, and even the nature of travel insurance attached." Study of the British Museum in the ancient Egyptian ritual expert John Taylor said. In his view, the "Book of the Dead" is the Egyptians on the death of a reliable map of the world. Although the land fertile Nile valley, but the ancient Egyptians, the average life expectancy is only 35 years old. "Therefore, if the ancient Egyptians that the death was not happiness, then they will feel that death is not far away. Most people would die before the age of 40, it depicts a map of the world after death is the way to deal with this anxiety . "
"Double Dutch" is gradually deciphered
Different "Book of the Dead" tailored for different masters
The British Museum exhibition of priceless papyrus, "Book of the Dead," most of his first public appearance, the curator, said John Taylor, for which part of the problem should be Zhanchu, the British Museum has made the difficult decision: " We would like to display some of them, but they are very sensitive pigment, once exposed a few months, the file will be damaged due to fade. "
"Book of the Dead" in about 1600 BC to AD 100 is used between, they are mostly the owners of more affluent Egyptians. The book is usually filled with a variety of symbols and landmarks of the famous spiritual guru Carl Jung once called the "Book of the Dead" full "almost can not understand the bible." But after the efforts of many scholars for centuries, like "Double Dutch" like "Book of the Dead" or be gradually deciphered.
In this exhibition, the most exciting is the display of the world's longest "Book of the Dead" - "Greenfield papyrus", which length of 37 meters. In addition, multiple copies of "Book of the Dead" at the same exhibition also allow people were surprised to find that these manuscripts have a very strong personal style can be said that each "Underworld travel guide" for its owners are tailored. Have a "Book of the Dead" is part of a man named Ani. He is a died around 1275 BC, the Royal Scribes copied. We can even see him and his wife Tutu play a 名叫塞尼特 (senet) chess board game - it is considered a symbol of leading a death sentence, but it also shows a loving family scene; otherwise a "Book of the Dead" is a woman named Anhai her during the New Kingdom of Egypt from a powerful senior clerics of the family, died in 1100 BC. She's dead, like books and other people, not only filled by the detail of Scribes copied spell, and draw on the important scenes and bright, clear spirits. Painting the side of the characters is standing or walking posture - the Greeks know how to draw characters from different angles, but the Egyptians are not - these figures there is a crystal-crystal of the United States. We see in the picture Anhai tall, sporting a long braided black hair; falcon headed god Horus led her and clasped her wrist, took her to the death door.
Infrared photography has also revealed a secret to us, there is a "Book of the Dead" after the owner's name was painted out. "We do not know why the name was painted out. One possibility is that host family did not pay, so the copy clerks transfer to other people want it, but do not have time to do so. Is also possible that obliterated memories of this master. "