Guide to the Egyptian Book of the Dead fragments, 1295 BCE - 200 CE
John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu
Published in 2016
Collection Overview
| Title: | Egyptian Book of the Dead fragments |
| Date range: | 1295 BCE - 200 CE |
| Creator: | |
| Extent: | 0.25 Linear feet |
| Abstract: | Five (5) fragments of inscribed mummy bandage and seven (7) fragments of inscribed papyrus containing texts in hieratic and hieroglyphs that are part of Chapters 1, 17, 72, 85, 86, 93, 108, 109 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. |
| Language of materials: | English |
| Repository: | John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts |
| Collection number: | MS.Egyptian Fragments.Group 1 |
Scope & content
A18076: Six (6) fragments on papyrus in large archaistic hieratic characters or cursive hieroglyphs arranged in vertical columns in black ink with yellow ochre and red border lines. The text is from Chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead. These pieces date from perhaps the Nineteenth Dynasty, 1295 BCE – 1186 BCE. The name of the deceased is not preserved in these fragments. The provenance of these fragments is unknown.A18077: One (1) fragment on papyrus in hieratic characters in black and red ink with 2 incomplete lines of text from the beginning of Chapter 72 of the Book of the Dead. The date of the fragment is tentatively identified as from the Third Intermediate Period, 1069 BCE - 650 BCE. The name Khamhor is in line 1 of the fragment. The provenance of this fragment is unknown.
A18901(1): Three (3) fragments on mummy bandage inscribed with hieratic characters from the same mummy and created by the same scribe all in black ink. The name of the deceased was Pede-imhotep, and he was the son of a woman called Tahut. They date from perhaps the late Persian-Ptolemaic period, 330 BCE – 30 BCE. They were a gift from the estate of Rev. Lysander Dickerman in 1903 along with A18901(2). It is unknown how Dickerman acquired them.
The first fragment shows a scene along the top from Chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead below which is ten lines of text also from Chapter 17.
The second fragment contains the closing text of Chapter 108 and the beginning text of Chapter 109.
The third fragment contains 6 lines of text from the beginning of Chapter 85. On the left side is a drawing of a swallow perched on a mound which is the vignette of Chapter 86.
A18901(2): Two (2) fragments on mummy bandage inscribed in hieratic characters all in black ink. These two fragments are not from the same mummy. Both were a gift from the estate of Rev. Lysander Dickerman in 1903 along with A18901(1). It is unknown how Dickerman acquired them.
The first fragment has at the top right a vignette from Chapter 93. The text underneath is in 2 columns with a total of 13 lines which form a continous text for the beginning of Chapter 136A. The name of the deceased is not preserved but rather referred to only with the generic term “this Osiris.” This dates to probably the Ptolemaic period, 330 BCE – 30 BCE
The second fragment contains a scene along the top which is a vignette from Chapter 1. The text is 3 columns of 7 lines each and is a version of Chapter 1. The name of the deceased is Shameky. Based on the handwriting - it dates from roughly Ptolemaic-Roman times, 100 BCE to 200 CE.
Bibliography: Caminos, Richard A. "Fragments of the 'Book of the Dead' on Linen and Papyrus" The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 56 (Aug., 1970) pp. 117-131.
Access Points
Subject Names Subject Topics Geographical Names Subject TopicsArrangement
Arranged in accession number order.
Biographical/Historical note
The Book of the Dead is an ancient Egyptian funerary text, used from the beginning of the New Kingdom (around 1550 BCE) to around 50 BCE. The original Egyptian name for the text, transliterated rw nw prt m hrw is translated as Book of Coming Forth by Day. Another translation would be Book of emerging forth into the Light. "Book" is the closest term to describe the loose collection of texts consisting of a number of magic spells intended to assist a dead person's journey through the Duat, or underworld, and into the afterlife and written by many priests over a period of about 1000 years.The estate of Lysander Dickerman donated fragments A18901(1) and A18901(2) in 1903. It is not known how Dickerman acquired the fragments. Dickerman was born June 8, 1825 in the city of Brockton, Massachusetts. He died June 8,1901. Rev. Dickerman received his education in the schools of his native town and Phillips Andover Academy. He graduated from Brown University in the class of 1851. Rev. Dickerman was an assistant teacher for a short time at Pierce Academy, Middleboro, Mass. He came to Hampton Falls in February, 1852, and took charge of the Rockingham Academy as principal, where he remained for six terms. As a teacher Mr. Dickerman was very popular and much beloved by his pupils. Under his charge the school numbered from sixty to seventy pupils. He graduated from Andover Theological Seminary in 1857. He settled as a pastor in Weymouth, Mass., and later in Rindge and Walpole. He then spent three years in Egypt and at the German universities of Halle and Berlin. In 1873 he was pastor of a church in Quincy, Massachusetts.
Access & Use
| Access to the collection: | There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested. |
| Use of the materials: | Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them. |
| Preferred citation: | Book of the Dead, MS.Egyptian Fragments.Group 1, Brown University Library. |
| Contact information: | John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu |
Administrative Information
| ABOUT THE COLLECTION | |
| Acquisition: | Fragments A18076 and A18077 were a gift from an anonymous donor circa 1900. Fragments A18901(1) and A18901(2) were a gift from the estate of the Reverend Lysander Dickerman in 1903. It is not known how Dickerman acquired the fragments. |
| ABOUT THE FINDING AID | |
| Author: | Finding aid prepared by Karen Eberhart. |
| Encoding: | This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2016-09-06 |
| Descriptive rules: | Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) |
Additional Information
| Related material: | See also: Book of the Dead (Ms.Egyptian 1); Lysander Dickerman lectures (Ms.Dickerman); Lysander Dickerman papers and lantern slides collection (MS.IU.D2) |
Inventory
Accession: A18076
6.0 fragments
Box 1
Six (6) fragments on papyrus in large archaistic hieratic characters or cursive hieroglyphs arranged in vertical columns in black ink with yellow ochre and red border lines. They are all pieces from the same sheet of papyrus. The text is from Chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead. These pieces date from perhaps the Nineteenth Dynasty, 1295 BCE – 1186 BCE. The name of the deceased is not preserved in these fragments. The provenance of these fragments is unknown.
Accession: A18077
1.0 fragments
Box 1
One (1) fragment on papyrus in hieratic characters in black and red ink with 2 incomplete lines of text from the beginning of Chapter 72 of the Book of the Dead. The date of the fragment is tentatively identified as from the Third Intermediate Period, 1069 BCE - 650 BCE. The name Khamhor is in line 1 of the fragment. The provenance of this fragment is unknown.
Accession: A18901(1)
3.0 fragments
Three (3) fragments on mummy bandage inscribed with hieratic characters from the same mummy and created by the same scribe all in black ink. The name of the deceased was Pede-imhotep, and he was the sone of a woman called Tahut. They date from perhaps the late Persian-Ptolemaic period, 330 BCE – 30 BCE. They were a gift from the estate of Rev. Lysander Dickerman in 1903 along with A18901(2). It is unknown how Dickerman acquired them.
| Container | Description | Date |
| Box 1 | A18901(1) - First fragment - Chapter 17, Book of the Dead 1.0 fragments Contents Note: This fragment shows a scene along the top from Chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead below which is ten lines of text also from Chapter 17. Dimensions: 18 x 9 cm |
| Box 1 | A18901(1) - Second fragment - Chapters 108 and 109, Book of the Dead 1.0 fragments Contents Note: This fragment contains the closing text of Chapter 108 and the beginning text of Chapter 109. Dimensions: 27 x 5.8 cm |
| Box 1 | A18901(1) - Third fragment, Chapter 85 and 86, Book of the Dead 1.0 fragments Contents Note: This fragment contains 6 lines of text from the beginning of Chapter 85. On the left side is a drawing of a swallow perched on a mound which is the vignette of Chapter 86. Dimensions: 30 x 6.5 cm |
Accession: A18901(2)
2.0 fragments
Two (2) fragments on mummy bandage inscribed in hieratic characters all in black ink. These two fragments are not from the same mummy. Both were a gift from the estate of Rev. Lysander Dickerman in 1903 along with A18901(1). It is unknown how Dickerman acquired them.
| Container | Description | Date |
| Box 1 | A18901(2) - First fragment, Chapter 93, Book of the Dead 1.0 fragments Contents Note: The first fragment has at the top right a vignette from Chapter 93. The text underneath is in 2 columns with a total of 13 lines which form a continous text for the beginning of Chapter 136A. The name of the deceased is not preserved but rather referred to only with the generic term “this Osiris.” This dates to probably the Ptolemaic period, 330 BCE – 30 BCE Dimensions: 26.5 x 8.3 cm |
Ptolemaic period, 330 BCE – 30 BCE |
| Box 1 | A18901(2) - Second fragment, Chapter 1, Book of the Dead 1.0 fragments Contents Note: This fragment contains a scene along the top which is a vignette from Chapter 1. The text is 3 columns of 7 lines each and is a version of Chapter 1. The name of the deceased is Shameky. Based on the handwriting - it dates from roughly Ptolemaic-Roman times, 100 BCE to 200 CE. Dimensions: 29 x 10 cm |
Ptolemaic-Roman times, 100 BCE to 200 CE |