Hieroglyphic Texts
Read ancient Egyptian inscriptions sign by sign. Hover over individual hieroglyphs for Gardiner details, click words for transliteration and translation. Choose between hieroglyphs-only, interlinear, or parallel display modes.
6 texts
…Golden Mask of Tutankhamun
c. 1323 BCE
Golden Mask, Cairo Museum JE 60672
The inscription on the back and shoulders of Tutankhamun's famous golden death mask is a protective spell derived from Chapter 151b of the Book of the Dead. It addresses the deceased king as Osiris and invokes the gods to guard each part of his face and head.
…Mentuhotep II: Deir el-Bahari Temple Inscription
c. 2010 BCE
Temple of Mentuhotep II, Deir el-Bahari
An inscription from the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II at Deir el-Bahari, the first great monument of the Middle Kingdom. The text presents a royal titulary and dedication formula, celebrating the king who reunified Egypt after the First Intermediate Period.
…Ramesses II: Battle of Kadesh Bulletin
c. 1274 BCE
Abu Simbel, Luxor Temple, and Karnak Temple inscriptions
The opening of the Kadesh Bulletin, the earliest known detailed military account in history. This text describes Ramesses II's campaign against the Hittites and introduces him with a full titulary before recounting the famous battle at Kadesh on the Orontes River in Year 5 of his reign.
…Pyramid Text Utterance 1
c. 2375 BCE
Pyramid of Unas, Saqqara
The opening utterance of the Pyramid Texts, the oldest surviving corpus of religious literature in the world. Inscribed in the burial chamber of Pharaoh Unas (last ruler of the 5th Dynasty), these spells were intended to ensure the king's resurrection and passage to the afterlife. This utterance purifies the king and prepares him for the afterlife journey.
…Teaching of Ptahhotep: Maxim 1
c. 1800 BCE
Papyrus Prisse, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris
The Teaching of Ptahhotep is the oldest philosophical text in the world, attributed to a vizier of the 5th Dynasty but copied in the Middle Kingdom on Papyrus Prisse. The first maxim meditates on the hardships of old age and the wisdom it brings, urging the young to listen to those with experience.
…Book of the Dead: Chapter 1 (Opening Formula)
c. 1550–1070 BCE
Papyrus of Ani, British Museum EA 10470
Chapter 1 of the Book of the Dead is the processional hymn spoken at the funeral, as the deceased's mummy is carried to the tomb. The Papyrus of Ani (c. 1275 BCE), now in the British Museum, contains the finest illustrated version. This opening formula presents the deceased before Osiris and proclaims his worthiness to enter the afterlife.