Primary Document: Origins of the West no.

The book of the dead is an ancient compilation of many different ancient prayers, myths,
documents, hymns, and stories. It is said to be created between 1500 and 1350 BCE. And it is an
important document to examine when one is trying to learn more about the culture of ancient
Egypt, because a book like this hold a great deal of cultural and historical substance.
The first excerpt that we are shown from the book of the dead is a prayer that is saying to
the god that he is blameless. It states I am pure, I am pure, I am pure. And note that there are
many wrong doings on the earth but that he commits none of them. The second part of the book
of the dead that we are given seems to be a list of praises. There are many different praises
included, some to many different gods, but it is also a sort of testimony for ones self. As if he is
telling the god once again that he is blameless. For example, one of the praises from the list says,
Oh thou of long strides, who makest thine appearance in Annu; I am not a doer of wrong.
We see in both the first prayer as well as the list of praises that whomever the speaker
may be, he is very concerned with the making it known to the recipient of the praise of prayer,
that he is not an evil being. This reveals to us that This is a very important aspect in the life of
this ancient people. It shows us that this people is very concerned with right doings and
following the gods. Or they are very fearful of the gods and find this necessary so as to save
themselves.
In this document, the book of the dead we are given information that is very valuable in
learning about the culture of this ancient society. Culture is a very important aspect of life and it

is therefore a very import thing to consider when trying to study a civilization weather its
ancient or modern.