Book of the Dead

Should you die and find yourself in the ancient Egyptian netherworld, this app - based on the Ancient Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead’ - will help you negotiate the many dangers that await you, as you try to attain eternal life.

The app was created on the occasion of the exhibition Journey through the afterlife: ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead at the British Museum, 4 November 2010 – 6 March 2011.

In the app you are led by Anubis, ancient Egyptian god of embalming, through the netherworld, and asked 7 questions. Get them right and you will unlock the Book of the Dead of Hunefer, one of the many of the British Museum’s unparalleled collection of Books of the Dead featured in the exhibition. Get the answers wrong, and you will be eaten by the Great Devourer.

Many of the examples of the Book of the Dead in the exhibition have never been seen before. These beautifully illustrated spells on papyrus and linen were used for over 1,000 years, and the oldest examples are over 3,500 years old. In addition to the unique works on papyrus and linen, superbly crafted funerary figurines (shabtis), amulets, jewellery, statues, mummies and coffins illustrate the many stages of the journey from death to the afterlife, including the day of burial, protection in the tomb, judgement, and entering the hereafter.