One of the greatest aspects of the Brooklyn Museumβs Egyptian collection is The Book of the Dead for a man named Sobekmose, who had the title βGoldworker of Amun.β Sobekmose was buried in Memphis and that is where this papyrus π πππ was found. This Book of the Dead dates to the 18th Dynasty (early New Kingdom 1500-1480 B.C.E.). It is displayed as one complete papyrus π πππ!
The Book of the Dead contained instructions/spells for the deceased π ππ± as they made their way through the underworld πΌπΏππ. The red text that you see is used to indicate the start of a new spell, the end of a spell, or the names of certain mythological figures.
I love this particular image ππ ±π – it shows the sun π³πΊ god Ra π³πΊπ in his solar barge that he used to bring the sun π³πΊ across the sky πͺππ― during the day πππΊπ³, and then through the underworld πΌπΏππ at night πΌπππ. Raβs π³πΊπ journey across the sky πͺππ― is supposed to be representative of his birth/resurrection (sunrise), growth (day) and then death (sunset). Then, Raβs π³πΊπ journey would repeat for another day.
I love how the solar barge is sitting on top of the determinative hieroglyph for βsky π―β and that the Egyptian stars πΌπΌπΌ are also there!