Coffin Texts

The Coffin Texts are a collection of ancient Egyptian funerary spells and prayers from around 2100-1600 BCE, written on coffins for non-royal individuals. They served as guides and protections to help the deceased navigate the afterlife, ensuring safe passage and access to divine powers. These texts developed from earlier pyramid texts and reflect a complex belief system about death and rebirth, emphasizing moral righteousness and spiritual knowledge as keys to a successful afterlife. The Coffin Texts mark a significant step in the evolution of Egyptian funerary literature, making spiritual guidance more accessible beyond the royal elite.