Understanding the Book of the Dead: Ancient Egyptian Beliefs
About This Worksheet
This worksheet explores the significance of the Book of the Dead in ancient Egyptian religion through source analysis. Students will examine a primary source to understand Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife.
Topics covered:
Worksheet Preview
Full preview • 8 questions
Understanding the Book of the Dead: Ancient Egyptian Beliefs
Untitled Worksheet
Source Analysis: The Book of the Dead
Source A: Excerpts from the Book of the Dead
"The Book of the Dead was a collection of spells, charms, and formulas that Egyptians believed would help the soul navigate the afterlife. It was written on papyrus and placed in tombs to guide and protect the deceased on their journey. The spells included instructions for overcoming obstacles, such as demons or dangerous animals, and for gaining entry into the afterworld. Egyptians thought that after death, the soul faced many challenges, and the Book served as a vital manual to ensure a safe passage. These texts also included prayers and hymns to gods like Osiris, the god of the dead, and Anubis, the god of embalming and protection. The purpose was to secure eternal life and happiness in the afterworld, which was a central belief in Egyptian religion.
Provenance: Anonymous author, 1550 BCE, religious text inscribed on papyrus.
Questions
Quick Actions
What is Remix?
Create a new worksheet based on this one. Change the grade level, topic, number of questions, or difficulty - then generate a fresh version.
- • Change grade level (Grade 6 → Grade 7)
- • Swap topics (Harry Potter → Macbeth)
- • Add more questions (10 → 15)
- • Adjust difficulty
Details
- Created
- 1/1/2026
- Updated
- 1/1/2026
- Type
- worksheet