Finding your way
Funerary texts which act as 'travel guides' for the hazardous journey through the underworld were crucial inclusions in the tomb. These texts were either written on walls, coffins, statues or papyri and contained all the required passwords and spells. They were placed within reach of the dead person's body in the burial chamber so they could be retrieved and recited when necessary.
Initially, funerary texts were only made available to royals. These were revised about 2100 BCE so that officials and nobles were also allowed to use them. Eventually, about 1500 BCE, a funerary text was made available to everyone in Egypt. This text is known today as the Book of the Dead.
