World History (Honors/AP) Summer Reading Study Guide for The Egyptian Book of the Dead

The summer reading selection for Honors and AP World History is The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day- The Complete Papyrus of Ani—Eva Van Dassow. The text is a LARGE FORMAT comprehensive edition, which includes illustrations of the original papyrus scrolls, as well as a very readable translation. The most recent revised edition came out in 2015.

You can order it at most big- box book stores (Barnes and Noble, etc…) or online (via barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com). A new edition costs approximately $20.00, a used copy about $10.00. Based on the numbers of students ordering the text, it is highly recommended you order the text ASAP. You may also purchase used books from the sophomores who took World History this year!!!

When you return in September, you will be expected to be familiar with the core content of the book as well as the scholarly apparatus. To guide you through the reading, answer the following questions handwritten on loose-leaf. All of the answers are found within the text so no outside research is required.

You should also know that the questions will be used in class and WILL BE graded!

Bibliographical Information: 1. The complete title of the book 2. The year the first edition of this book was published 3. The year the revised edition of this book was published 4. Identify the translators and provide some biographical information about them 5. Explain the role of Carol A.R. Andrews in the creation of this book 6. Identify the editor of the book and provide some bibliographical information about that person 7. Who was the publisher of this book? Where was the book published?

Scholarly Apparatus: 8. Read the Forward to the book and identify the author. What were the author’s primary concerns with the production of this book? What does he hope that the publication of the book will accomplish? 9. Read the Preface to the book and identify the author. Identify the main concern of the author.

Introduction: 10. Identify the author of the introduction and identify the school to which he is affiliated. 11. Explain why the author thinks The Book of the Dead is an important work.

Commentary: 12. Identify the author of the commentary 13. Explain what the author means in saying that ‘[a]ncient Egyptian religion was never a unity.’ 14. Provide an overview of the organization of the The Book of the Dead and its manufacture. 15. Describe the Egyptian understanding of our world (the Terrestrial Domain). 16. Explain the relationship between the Celestial Sphere and the Underworld 17. Explain the distinction between the gods and ‘the god’ in Egyptian religion 18. Describe the nature of magic in The Book of the Dead 19. Describe the basic elements of the Egyptian concept of the soul and its relationship to the body 20. Explain the significance of the story of Osiris and Isis for the Egyptian afterlife.

The Papyrus of Ani Plate 1: 21. Identify: Manu, Re, Maat 22. What is a Ka? What does the Ani ask for it? 23. What does the supplicant ask of Re? Plate 2: 24. Who is Osiris? 25. Why does Ani pray to Osiris? What does he ask for? Plates 3 and 4: 26. How do the illustrations from the manuscript reflect the subject matter of the accompanying passage? What significant event occurs at this stage? 27. Explain how the passage and the illustrations work together 28. Identify the gods that are pictured. Explain each one’s purpose in the judgment of souls. Plates 5 and 6: 29. Describe the action depicted in the images of these two plates? What is happening to Ani? Why? What is the relationship to the text of the pages? Plates 7-10: 30. How is the afterlife depicted in these images? What types of activities does the text describe? 31. What is the significance of the ‘chaos-god’? How is the ‘Great God’ described? Plate 11: 32. Who are the gatekeepers and purpose do they serve? How are they depicted? Plates 12-16: 33. How is the afterlife described and depicted? What is the ‘opening of the mouth’ ritual? Plate 17: 34. What does this passage explain about the ba? How is the ba depicted? Plates 18 and 19: 35. Explain the significance of Osiris in these passages. Plates 20 and 21: 36. What is the significance of the ‘sun hymns’? How are the depicted? Plate 22: 37. What is the purpose of the ‘spell’ described in this passage? Plates 23-24: 38. Describe the ritual depicted in these passages? What is its purpose? Plates 25-28: 39. Describe the various ‘transformation spells’ enumerated here? What is the purpose of these spells? Plate 29: 40. Describe Ani’s efforts to gain entrance to the company of the gods. Plates 30 and 31: 41. This passage is often described as the ‘Negative Confession.’ Explain what you think that might mean. Plate 32: 42. Why do you think that Ani identifies the various parts of his bodies with the various Egyptian gods? 43. How might this be demonstrated in the process of mummification? 44. Plates 33 and 34: 45. What is being described in this passage? What is its overall significance? Plate 35-37: 46. What types of protections do these passages provide for the deceased? 47. How are these protections established? 48. What does this demonstrate about the nature of the Egyptian afterlife?