This copy of the Book of the Dead (known to the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 as the Book of Going Forth By Day) belonged to Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪, Priest 𓊹𓍛 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, who lived during the early Ptolemaic Period (between 332-200 B.C.E.). No, it’s not that Imhotep from “The Mummy” (1999), however, this is still a funny coincidence! The Book of the Dead was created for Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 so he could have a successful journey into the afterlife/Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The spells on the papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 were also meant to ensure his safety and well-being in the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (realm of the dead).
In this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏, you can see some of the hieratic script that the Book of the Dead is written in – don’t ask me to translate, because I can’t read hieratic! I can only read hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Some of the hieratic is in black 𓆎𓅓 ink while some of it is in red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟. The red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 ink seems to symbolize either the beginning or the end 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓂝𓏛 of a spell, or it could highlight a word for a noun that was considered “bad” in Egyptian culture. However, sometimes even “offering table” could have been written/drawn in red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 and offering tables 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 were not bad at all!
On the top right, you can see Imhotep 𓇍𓅓𓊵𓏏𓊪 standing with his arms raised in a worshipping stance; he is worshipping the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡, who is in her cow form 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒! Next to that, you can see the four Sons of Horus surrounding a canopic chest! The Four Sons of Horus guarded the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹 of the deceased! From the right: Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑(jackal head) held/protected the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, Imseti 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋(human head) held/protected the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸, Hapi 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌(baboon head) held/protected the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺, and Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 (falcon head) held/protected the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼.