John H. Taylor (1) (1958–)

Pros: lots of gorgeous coloured photos, detailed chapters, covers numerous aspects surrounding death and the afterlife

Cons: no complete text translation

This is a gorgeous pictorial overview of what we call the Egyptian Book of the Dead and what the ancient Egyptians called The Book of Coming Forth by Day. It evolved over time as a collection of knowledge and spells designed to help those for whom they were made, and with whom they were buried, find their way through the perils of the show more afterlife and judgement so they could ‘live’ again.

Journey Through the Afterlife takes examples from dozens of papyrus roles that have been recovered to discuss their purpose, the Egyptian view of death and the afterlife, burial practices and the act of preparing the rolls themselves.

Each chapter ends with several examples of what was discussed, often including supplementary information in their explanatory passages.

I was surprised by how many of the medieval views of magic (which I studied in university and elsewhere) started in Egypt. For example: the belief that words have power, both when spoken and written. The use of amulets. The importance of knowing the true name of spirits/gods/demons in order to have power over them. Making protective circles drawn with ‘wands’. Using ‘virgin’ (unused) papyrus (in the middle ages it would have been unused parchment) for spells. The importance of ritual in the efficacy of magic, etc.

It would have been nice had a translation of the full text of the Egyptian Book of the Dead been included, but as this book is intended as a companion guide to the texts, it’s not surprising they didn’t have room for it.

The is a beautiful and highly informative book if you have an interest in ancient Egypt, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, views of the afterlife or the ancient practice of magic. show less

Horemkenesi was an Egyptian priest and official who lived at Thebes in the eleventh century B.C. The unwrapping and scientific examination of his mummified body (the last such investigation to have been carried out in Britain) provided a rare opportunity to study the remains of a known historical figure using the most sophisticated technology and methods of analysis. By combining the results of this study with information from inscriptions on Horemkenesi's coffin and rock graffiti recording show more his work in the cemeteries of Thebes, it is possible to build up a fascinating picture of the life, death, and mummification of an ancient Egyptian. The first part of this book considers Horemkenesi's life and work against the backdrop of Upper Egypt in the troubled times of the early Twentieth Dynasty. The second part concentrates on the unwrapping of the mummy: its careful planning, how the delicate operation was carried out, and what discoveries were made. What did Horemkenesi look like? How old was he at death? What was the state of his health? Why did the embalmers not remove his brain, and why were his internal organs missing? These and other questions are answered in this stimulating book. show less

This book is an absolutely stunning pictorial romp through the Egyptian Book of the Dead. I am reading the hardcover version of this book and the detail and variety of pictures are fantastic.

My only "wish" left unfulfilled is a bit more explanation and a translation of what we are seeing in hieroglyphs. Yes, there is some description but much of the time it is lacking explanation or detail.

That said, the book is absolutely gorgeous. Would highly recommend to any history, or Egyptian show more mythology buff. Just be prepared to head to google to try to translate some of what you see in the gorgeous images. show less

fascinating study of mummies from various eras of Egyptian history examined with modern scanning technology which can reveal embalming techniques and some health conditions without damaging the mummified body.