Sir E. A. Wallis Ani: The Search For Eternal Life

For thousands of years humanity has been puzzled about life after death. The mystery of death and immortality has been fascinating people till this day. But for the ancient Egyptians the afterlife was splendid and beautiful, if not more exquisite and fascinating than life itself, they called it “The Field of Reeds”. The ability to achieve eternal life, in the eyes of the ancient Egyptian was beyond human power. The journey in which a spirit had to endure in order to reach immortality was more difficult than death itself. The passage through netherworld was terrifying and horrendous, and without a guide or magic spells this journey would be nearly impossible. However, having the proper spells and hymns would not be enough in the afterlife …show more content…
A. Wallis Budge, Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum, The Papyrus of Ani is not only a collection of spells and charms, but a complete vision of the judgment day. Printed in the year 1250 B.C. the origins of the Book of the Dead can be traced to the Pyramid Texts which dates ca. 2400 B.C.E. The seventy-eight-foot long scroll was cut in even lengths by Wallis Budge without knowing that it would destroy its continuity and the relation between text and images. This outstanding Book of the Dead has been divided in approximately 200 chapters over 37 plates, and has been translated several time over the …show more content…
Some of these divine beings were seen as allies, and some of them as obstacles. The sixty-five magical spells that guided Ani in his journey to the underworld, not only helped him overcome the most terrifying monsters, but helped him transform in several divine creatures, from a