Papyrus fragments from the Book of the Dead of the Scribe Roy

Unknown

ca. 1323–1295 B.C., possibly · Papyrus, ink · Egyptian Art

These fragments come from a Book of Coming Forth by Day, commonly known as a Book of the Dead, dedicated to a scribe named Roy. This official lived during the late 18th or early 19th century, likely during the reign of Haremhab or later. Said to have been found with a heart scarab (21.2.19-Deaccessioned) and a double ba-bird amulet (21.2.20), the papyrus from which these fragments come would have been buried with Roy, meant magically to assist him with his journey to the afterlife and his eternal existence there as one of the blessed dead.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1323–1295 B.C., possibly

Medium

Papyrus, ink

Department

Egyptian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1921