''Book of the Dead of Amen-em-hat'' is a seven-metre-long scroll on display at the

Royal Ontario Museum The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a museum of art, world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest in Canada. It attracts more than one million visitors every year ...

. A ''

Book of the Dead The ''Book of the Dead'' is the name given to an Ancient Egyptian funerary texts, ancient Egyptian funerary text generally written on papyrus and used from the beginning of the New Kingdom of Egypt, New Kingdom (around 1550 BC) to around 50 BC ...

'' is a key funerary (and religious) artifact in any tomb from

Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

. Archaeologists have discovered a wide range of styles and details on scrolls which have led scholars to conclude that the ''Book of the Dead'' was an object any Ancient Egyptian ensured they had for their journey to the afterlife. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the recently deceased had to navigate a dangerous underworld to reach the afterlife. ''The Book of the Dead'' contained spells and prayers that provided guidance and protection through the journey.

The ROM's ''Book of the Dead''

''The Book of the Dead'' in the

is an iconic object in their collection. Purchased in Egypt by Charles T. Currelly, this Book is a seven-metre-long scroll that was found in the tomb of Amen-em-hat near Luxor. Restored in 2009, Ahen-em-hat's ''Book of the Dead'' offers a number of unique images and writing. Fragments of the scroll are on permanent display in the Egyptian Gallery. The larger sections of papyrus, most notably a large and detailed illustration of the Hall of Judgment scene, were on display during the spring of 2009.

Amen-em-hat

Amen-em-hat was a wealthy Egyptian living near Luxor during the Ptolemaic Period (around 320-300 BCE). Very little is known about him, his profession and his family.Bradshaw, James. "A little piece of the afterlif

''The Globe and Mail''. 2009. Retrieved July 31, 2013 Scenes on the fragments suggest he had a knowledge of farming and fishing.

References

Book of the Dead Collection of the Royal Ontario Museum Egyptian papyri containing images {{papyrus-stub