The Book of the Dead of Qenna

Ancient written artefacts can also sometimes contain hazardous pigments. An example is The Book of the Dead of Qenna, an ancient Egyptian funerary text that is housed in the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden, the Netherlands. This manuscript is part of a broader corpus of texts known collectively as the Book of the Dead, which was used by ancient Egyptians to aid the deceased in navigating the afterlife.

The preservation and study of Qenna’s Book of the Dead provide valuable insights into ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, funerary practices, and the socio-cultural context of the time. Additionally, it exemplifies the craftsmanship and artistry involved in the production of such funerary documents.

With the help of µXRF scanning of selected sheets of the manuscript, hazardous pigments could be identified and their distribution visualised.