Egyptian Fragment

Among the items in the De Gregorio collection is a linen fragment containing two lines from The Egyptian Book of the Dead, circa 800 B.C. Executed in hieratic, or priestly, script, an ancient style of writing composed from abridged forms of hieroglyphics, the fragment was produced in the Twenty-Second Dynasty, 945-712 B.C., during the reign of Shoshenq III.

The Book begins with the "Hymn to Osiris," the Great God of the Dead. The story of Osiris is one of the earliest Egyptian myths. Powerful pharaohs and humble peasants alike all hoped to join Osiris in the afterlife. The myth incorporates accounts of many deities in the family of Osiris, including Nut, the sky goddess, his mother; Geb, the earth god, his father; Isis, his wife; Seth, his evil brother; and Horus, son of Osiris and Isis.

Egyptians commissioned a copy of The Book before they died to serve as a guide. The text was carved on the exterior of the sarcophagus, or in later time frames, placed inside the mummy case to be read on the journey. The instructions contained a collection of spells, charms, and magic formulas. Knowledge of the appropriate spells was critical to pass successfully through various trials.

There were passwords, clues and routes to direct the traveler. The Book also served as identification for the gods, utilized to gain their assistance and protection. The dead had to reach the underworld if they were to achieve a happy, prosperous Afterlife.

Judgment was performed in The Hall of Maat where the heart, or conscience, of the deceased was placed on the scales, then compared to the weight of the feather of truth and justice. In some interpretations, Thoth, the moon god, recorded the judgment; in others, he weighed the hearts in The Hall of The Two Truths.