The Egyptian Book of the Dead

Lost for millennia The Egyptian Book of the Dead is a fascinating piece of history that dates back over 4000 years. It reveals the reason why the Egyptians built the pyramids and is the likely source of the Ten Commandments.

In this feature-length special History follows the ancient scroll from its creation in approximately 1800 BC near the site of the Egyptian city of Thebes to its rediscovery in 1887 AD. Find out why Biblical scholars agree that portions of the Old Testament are directly descended from the Egyptian text and why some archaeologists argue that Moses must have read and carried a copy of it with him when he fled Egypt.

Using recreations expert interviews and computer-generated graphics The Egyptian Book of the Dead weaves together two stories: that of a temple scribe in Ancient Egypt named Ani who saves for months to buy his Book of the Dead; and that of a roguish 19th century museum curator named Earnest Wallis Budge who discovers the same book and purchases it for the British Museum in London.

From the age of papyrus to the age of silicon The Egyptian Book of the Dead is a captivating look at one of the oldest religious documents in the world.