For over a thousand years, the Book of the Dead guided ancient Egyptians through the afterlife. Filled with powerful spells these remarkable texts were designed to help the dead overcome the dangers of the underworld and reach eternal life in the company of Osiris, God of the Dead.

Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by Yekaterina Barbash to explore the fascinating history of the Book of the Dead. Why was it so important to ancient Egyptian burial beliefs? How were these extraordinary papyri made? And what can one of the finest surviving examples reveal about death, magic and the afterlife in ancient Egypt?

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Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds

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Egypt's Book of the Dead

The Ancients

Egypt's Book of the Dead