The Greenfield Papyrus in the British Museum: the funerary papyrus of Princess Nesitanebtashru, Daughter of Painetchem II and Nesi-Khensu, and Priestess of Amen-Ra at Thebes, about B.C. 970 (The Book of the Dead)
London: The British Museum; Longmans & Co.,; Bernard Quaritch; Asher and Co.,; Henry Frowde, 1912. First edition. Hardcover. Folio (12 1/2 x 10 1/4"). XXX, [2], 99, [1]pp. (Text), CXVI (116) leaves of plates. Original full blind-stamped burgundy cloth, with gold lettering to spine. Beveled edges. Frontispiece.
The Greenfield Papyrus is one of the best surviving examples of a funerary papyrus. It is named after Mrs Edith Greenfield, the donor of the papyrus to the British Museum, whose husband acquired it in Egypt in 1880. The papyrus is also called the Book of the Dead, a term used to describe funerary texts, papyrus scrolls that were interred with the bodies of important Egyptians to assist with the passage to the afterlife. They included spells and incantations, stories relating to the creation myth, references to astrology and general instruction on how to avoid getting lost. In short, they were guides to Heaven. The Greenfield papyrus was the funerary papyrus of Princess Nesitanebtashru, daughter of Painetchem II and Nesi-Khensu, and priestess of Amen-Ra at Thebes. The original document is no less than 121 feet long (37 meters), with spells illustrated by a series of vignettes. The papyrus is splendidly reproduced in facsimile in 116 color plates.
Ex-library copy, with sticker at tail of spine and upper margin of front cover, bookplate on inside of front cover, pocket on inside of back cover, and stamp at upper and lower paper edges. Minor closed tears and creasing at head and tail of spine. Tip of upper front corner bumped, thus slightly affecting pages throughout. Binding in overall good to good+, interior in good+ to very good, plates in very good condition. g to vg. Item #40016
Price: $750.00