The Book of Two Ways, considered as part of the larger cannon of Coffin Texts, is dated to the Middle Kingdom and is a precursor to the later Book of the Dead. It is an illustrated road map and plan for the deceased to navigate the underworld so that they might successfully reach Rostau-the realm of Osiris. The oldest example of the Book yet found was discovered in 2012 with the results recently published, likely dating to the reign of Mentuhotep II c.2061-2010 BC-the first pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom and responsible for the reunification of Egypt.
A Fragment of an Early Book of Two Ways on the Coffin of Ankh from Dayr al-Barshā (B4B)
Another MK example of the Book of Two Ways:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
LARGE
Dating to c.1900BC, it is from the physician's coffin of the nomarch Djehutihotep-owner of the famed tomb relief:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
As an aside, Mentuhotep II was an interesting character which of note is his mortuary temple-a clear and unusual departure in many ways to what came before. Abandoning the burial sites of his predecessors, he built his mortuary temple on the west bank of Thebes (Deir el Bahri) which became the inspiration and location of NK royal burial sites centuries later. The mortuary temple is right next to the famed Temple of Hatshepsut:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
(Note the large ramp leading to the temple)
A Fragment of an Early Book of Two Ways on the Coffin of Ankh from Dayr al-Barshā (B4B)
Another MK example of the Book of Two Ways:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
LARGE
Dating to c.1900BC, it is from the physician's coffin of the nomarch Djehutihotep-owner of the famed tomb relief:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
As an aside, Mentuhotep II was an interesting character which of note is his mortuary temple-a clear and unusual departure in many ways to what came before. Abandoning the burial sites of his predecessors, he built his mortuary temple on the west bank of Thebes (Deir el Bahri) which became the inspiration and location of NK royal burial sites centuries later. The mortuary temple is right next to the famed Temple of Hatshepsut:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
(Note the large ramp leading to the temple)
