Fact 21 on Book of the Dead: | Failure to persuade the 42 'Assessor Gods' or judges that they had lived a good and worthy earthly life, to answer questions correctly, or use the appropriate responses would result in part of the soul being given to Ammit the "soul-eater".
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Fact 22 on Book of the Dead: | The frightful dangers of the ancient Egyptian Underworld included a variety of obstacles including horrifying creatures, traps, demons and a long series of tests. The journey through the Underworld was guided by the jackal-headed god, Anubis.
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Fact 23 on Book of the Dead: | If they passed all of the obstacles they would face their final judgement in the Hall of Judgement where their mortal life was examined by the 42 god-judges. Each of the gods required a 'Declaration of Innocence' or 'Negative Confessions' of specific crimes and sins.
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Fact 24 on Book of the Dead: | They would then have to participate in the final test called the 'weighing of the heart ceremony' and face the gods Ma'at and Thoth. Only souls who weighed exactly the same as the feather of the goddess Ma'at would be presented to Osiris who would greet them in the eternal life in the Field of Reeds - Heavenly Paradise.
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Fact 25 on Book of the Dead: | The content provided information on how to address the gods of the Underworld and the appropriate words to use during the Judgement process. The text provided magic spells to preserve of their spiritual being and protect them from dangers. It also provided information on the journey in the Duat and how to navigate the gates, caverns, and guardians of the Underworld.
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Fact 26 on Book of the Dead: | The most famous of the the versions is the Papyrus of Ani, also referred to as the Book of Ani. Ani was a wealthy scribe who served the royal family. There were 189 chapters in the papyrus manuscript that was commissioned by Ani.
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Fact 27 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 1–20 provided Funerary and mythological texts
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Fact 28 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 21–30 prescribed preservation of the parts of being
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Fact 29 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 31–53 provided spells and instructions for protection from peril
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Fact 30 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 54–63 empowered the deceased with the power to breathe and drink
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Fact 31 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 64–89 information and spells required in the Coming Forth by Day
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Fact 32 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 98–112 provided information about navigation through the Underworld
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Fact 33 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 125-6 provided the text and spells necessary in the Hall of Judgement.
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Fact 34 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 127–137 detailed journeys in the Duat and on the Barque of Ra
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Fact 35 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 144–150 dealt with gates, caverns and guardians
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Fact 36 on Book of the Dead: | Chapters 151–189 provided protective spells.
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Fact 37 on Book of the Dead: | The emergence of the Coffin Texts that emerged into the Book of the Dead was extremely important as it allowed non-royals to have direct spiritual access to the Duat, the world of magic and of the dead.
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Fact 38 on Book of the Dead: | The religion, rituals and ceremonies undertook a significant change and focussed most of the religion of ancient Egypt on funerary and mortuary religious beliefs with the promise that all worthy Egyptians could attain a perfect existence in the Afterlife.
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Fact 39 on Book of the Dead: | These changes had a significant effect on the economy, the government and the standing of the priests. The temples were not just places of worship. The temple complexes also housed treasuries, offices, schools and palaces. The temple complexes were also centres of government, economy and commerce.
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Fact 40 on Book of the Dead: | Producing personalized versions of the 'Book of the Dead' became 'big business' in ancient Egypt. Less expensive, 'Off the peg', versions were created with blank spaces so that the name of a deceased could be entered as required.
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Fact 41 on Book of the Dead: | And the sale of amulets, complete with required spells and inscriptions, increased both the coffers of the temples and the coffers of Egypt.
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Fact 42 on Book of the Dead: | The 'Book of the Dead' would later evolve and the New Kingdom Books of the Netherworld such as the Book of Gates, Book of Caverns and the Amduat were produced.
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Fact 43 on Book of the Dead: | This Ancient Egyptian literature provided the ancient Egyptians with a Guide to attaining entry into the Field of Rushes to enjoy the glorious afterlife, an everlasting, perfect existence in an ideal version of Egypt.
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Fact 44 on Book of the Dead: | In the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods the priests a highly condensed form all the texts that were necessary for salvation.
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Fact 45 on Book of the Dead: | As time went by even more abbreviated texts were used and the Book of the Dead ended its existence in the form of a series of almost illegible scrawls traced upon scraps of papyrus only 9 to 12 inches high, and from 5 to 10 inches wide.
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Fact 46 on Book of the Dead: | And so ends the story of the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead.
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