The Pyramid Texts

What happened

Inscribed on the walls of royal pyramids at Saqqara beginning in the reign of King Unas at the end of the 5th Dynasty, the Pyramid Texts are a body of spells meant to guide and protect the dead king's soul in the afterlife. They are the oldest known religious writings in the world.

Why it matters

They are Egypt's earliest funerary literature and contain the first written references to Osiris and the judgment of the soul, shaping Egyptian religion for millennia.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. The Pyramid Texts: Guide to the Afterlife · Reputable source