The Coffin Texts (c. 2134-2040 BCE) are 1,185 spells, incantations, and other forms of religious writing inscribed on coffins to help the deceased navigate the afterlife. They include the text known as the Book of Two Ways which is the first example of cosmography in ancient Egypt, providing maps of the afterlife and the best way to avoid dangers on one's way to paradise. Egyptologist Geraldine Pinch notes how "these maps, which were usually painted on the floor of the coffins, are the earliest known maps from any culture" and that the Book of Two Ways "was nothing less than an illustrated guidebook to the afterlife" (15). The Book of Two Ways was not a separate work, nor even a book, but detailed maps which corresponded to the rest of the text painted inside the coffin.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1021/the-coffin-texts/.
Join the Conversation
- If you've studied this topic, what would you add for other readers?
- What surprised you most in this article?
- Which part did you find most interesting, and why?
Is there anything you'd like to ask about this article? Ask away — and if you spot something that should be covered, that's useful to know too.