Ani papyrus – London
Any
Ranke I, pg. 2, 11
Also known as Any
Provenance Tomb of Ani at Thebes
19th Dynasty
The Papyrus of Ani is a copy of the famous ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead, a collection of spells, prayers, and incantations to aid in the transition of the spirit of the dead into the afterlife. This copy was created for Ani, a Theban scribe, during the Nineteenth Dynasty around the year 1250 BCE. It is written in cursive hieroglyphics and superbly illustrated with richly detailed paintings of the stages of the afterlife
Among the numerous surviving copies of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Papyrus of Ani is considered the most magnificent in the quality of its lavish vignette paintings and the scope of its text
The stunning pictures offer a glimpse into the life of ancient Egypt in its rendition of the “Field of Reeds,” the awaiting paradise that reflects the living world, and into the complex and afterlife with its pantheon of gods rendering judgment and a menagerie of dangerous creatures. The Papyrus of Ani is an exquisite example of a key document in ancient Egyptian religion
See the 37 frames in the British Museum
For a detailed description of this papyrus, see The papyrus of Ani : a reproduction in facsimile , E.A. Wallis Budge, 1913
Further reference: Het Egyptische dodenboek. Beroemde Egyptische papyri. Evelyn Rossiter, ISBN 9061131707 – 1985
Book of the Dead papyrus for Ani
Length 23.5 metres, height 33 cm
Ref. No. EA10470, British Museum, London
Good photos of almost all of the frames are available on the BM’s website. For study and research I recommend using the zoomable pictures from the BM because they have a higher resolution than in the slider. Use the slider for the overview
Composed of photos © The Trustees of the British Museum
Panorama view VB 2021 (10 Mb)
Fragment