The Book of the Earth is an Ancient Egyptian funerary text that serves as a counterpart to the Book of Caverns. It primarily appears on the tombs of Merneptah , Twosret, Ramesses III, Ramesses VI, and Ramesses VII. The central figures in the story are Osiris, Ra and Ba and the overarching plot is the journey the sun takes through the earth god, Aker. The surviving panels of the original composition were each divided into three registers, but the exact sequence and connections between the different parts are unclear.
The overarching plot is the journey the sun takes through the earth god, Aker. The surviving panels of the original composition were each likely divided into three registers, and the book is divided into five main components: Part E, Part D, Part C, Part B, and Part A. Part E depicts six gods praying to a sun disc at burial mounds, while Part D introduces most of the setting. Part C comprises three registers that may be connected to Part D, although the exact sequence is unclear. Part B’s registers are less clear, and many parts might be considered to belong to Part A. Finally, Part A opens with the sun god being enclosed by mummies at a burial mound called the Mound of Darkness.
Part E shows six gods praying to a sun disc at burial mounds, while Part D is probably the beginning of the composition, introducing most of the setting. Part C comprises three registers that might be connected to Part D, and Part B is less obvious with many parts that might be considered to belong to Part A. In the beginning of Part A, the sun god is enclosed by mummies at a burial mound called the Mound of Darkness.
The Book of the Earth is one of the many funerary texts from Ancient Egypt that aimed to guide the deceased through the afterlife. It was believed to have protective powers and was also intended to aid the deceased in their journey to the afterlife. Overall, the Book of the Earth provides a valuable insight into the religion and mythology of Ancient Egypt.
Speculations on the shape of the Realm
