# The Coffin Texts — WHE Article Discussion (2-1021)

**URL:** <https://community.worldhistory.org/t/the-coffin-texts-whe-article-discussion-2-1021/18649>\
**Category:** WHE Articles\
**Created:** [March 8, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/the-coffin-texts-whe-article-discussion-2-1021/18649 "2017-03-08T17:04:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JPryst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jpryst/32/168_2.png) [@JPryst](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/JPryst)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/the-coffin-texts-whe-article-discussion-2-1021/18649/1 "2017-03-08T17:04:47Z")

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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.

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_This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at [https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1021/the-coffin-texts/](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1021/the-coffin-texts/)._

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**Author:** ![system](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/system/32/30_2.png) [@system](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2026, 3:35am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/the-coffin-texts-whe-article-discussion-2-1021/18649/2 "2026-08-01T03:35:50Z")

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Unlisted on August 1, 2026, 3:35am UTC