Hieroglyphs and the afterlife in ancient - Softcover

Egyptian hieroglyphs unite art and writing in a conscious plan to attain eternal life. The success of that plan can be read in the 3000-year lifespan of Pharaonic tradition, and can only be understood through its religious foundation. This study sets out the history of the texts designed to guarantee life beyond death, from the "Pyramid Texts" for kings and queens, c. 2400 BC, to the "Book of the Dead" used by king and subject alike after 1600 BC. The book considers how this literature finally met its end under the combined pressures of Greek-speaking government, Roman occupation, and conversion to Christianity.