Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' scroll dating back from 1550 BC found in ancient cemetery

Archaeologists have made an intriguing discovery in central Egypt's Tuna el-Gebel – an ancient cemetery that revealed a rare 49 ft scroll believed to be associated with the Book of the Dead.

This cemetery, dating back about 3,500 years to the New Kingdom era of ancient Egypt. It was only recently uncovered during the ongoing archaeological mission that commenced in 2017.The Book of the Dead, is relatively a modern term that comprises texts that served as a guide for the deceased in their journey through the underworld, as per the reports.

Reports further explain that although there are nearly 200 known spells, they were not exactly collected into books. Sequences of these spells were inscribed on objects from mummy wrappings to coffins to figurines to papyrus scrolls, all meant to accompany the dead in the tomb.
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Alongside the remarkable papyrus scroll, the site also revealed mummies, sarcophagi, amulets, and numerous ‘shabti’ figurines. Additionally, the excavations unveiled jars designed to hold the organs of the deceased.

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The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt made the official announcement of these findings during an October 15 press conference. The captivating Book of the Dead scroll discovered in the cemetery is part of a series of ancient Egyptian ritual spells. These spells are thought to have assisted the departed in their quest to reach the afterlife and find unity with the sun god Re and the netherworld god Osiris in a perpetual cycle of renewal and rebirth.
Also, sequences of these spells were inscribed on various objects, from mummy wrappings to coffins, figurines, and papyrus scrolls, all intended to accompany the deceased in their tomb. A section of this sequence was even inscribed within King Tutankhamun's golden mask. Despite its common reference as the Book of the Dead, the official translation of the collection's name, according to the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), is ‘The Chapters/Book of Going Forth By Day.’