The kingdoms of Ancient Egypt were always going to be very familiar millennia later. The sheer scale of the structures built across their lands were made to stand the test of time, relay the magnificence of the rulers of the age, and appease the gods. However, what’s made them so familiar is the preservation of their texts.
Archaeologists were fascinated by the hieroglyphs that were etched into the sides of vast temples and significant buildings from the moment they arrived. After extensive excavation efforts and the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, these symbols were revealed to be the language, revealing even more about the ancient society.
Over the decades, more texts have been discovered in a state of excellent preservation and translated to reveal the lost secrets of Ancient Egypt. Now, those books are among the most important artifacts discovered and often feature as an important part of an Ancient Egyptian story to this day.
The Great Texts of Ancient Egypt
Of all of the ancient texts discovered to tell of the ways of Ancient Egypt, the Book of the Dead is one of the best-known and most important. The collection of mortuary texts containing spells and formulas used to protect the deceased and buried with them helped to decipher one of the most intriguing aspects of the civilization.
While the excavations and later tests helped to reveal much of what was going on, mummification, the process, and the purpose of the practice were revealed in the colorful papyrus texts. So important was the Book of the Dead that it has been found in many Egyptian tombs, containing some 200 chapters.
The Book of the Dead was said to have also compiled the Pyramid Texts and Coffin Texts, as well as hymns to the sun god, Re. The former of those texts is noted as the oldest religious text, relaying an eternal existence alongside the deities of what we now call the Ancient Egyptian myths. The importance of these texts cannot be understated.
The Continued Influence of the Texts
The mummified pharaohs, animal-headed gods, and grand structures built by the civilization remain the most iconic and instantly recognizable aspects of Ancient Egypt in the mainstream. However, when something based on that age wants to relay that little bit more depth and create more immersion in their story, they’ll bring in a book.
Perhaps the most famous example of this comes in the form of the 1999 film The Mummy. Indeed, the central focus is on a mummified priest having come back to life, but that all revolves around a team of archaeologists finding the Black Book of the Dead. This worked as a kind of anti to the real one, resurrecting the cursed mummy.
You can also see the book angle being the central premise in the collection of slingo bingo games online. Alongside the likes of Slingo Reel King and Slingo Starburst, Book of Slingo stands out for its Ancient Egyptian theme. In the slot, you’re tasked with finding the Egyptian texts to uncover the biggest prizes in the game.
Writings with less religious connotations have also helped to inspire great works of fiction. The accounts of Cleopatra from Ancient Egypt to the other side of the Mediterranean were used as a guide for Carlo Maria Franzero’s 1957 book, The Life and Times of Cleopatra. In turn, that was adapted into the 1963 epic film Cleopatra.
While not the most obviously grand creations of Ancient Egypt, their books and texts have given us the best glimpses into the incredible age, and so, deservedly, it’s the books that help to inspire our modern depictions.