The Egyptians believed in an afterlife and a complex mythology about who could enter. Upon death, they faced a final judgment that decided whether they would suffer eternal damnation or ascend to the gods. The evolution of Egyptian funerary texts (and their increasing accessibility) during the New Kingdom (1580 BCE) paralleled the development of democratic and secular Egyptian life. As the afterlife became more accessible, so did literacy, wealth, education, etc. 1. Pyramid texts were hieroglyphic writings inscribed into the pyramid walls and were only available to the pharaoh. The writings were comprised of myths, hymns, and prayers about the pharaoh's divine life. This practice began around 2345 BCE with the pyramid of Unas. 2. Coffin texts covered the surfaces of wooden coffins and stone sarcophagi, accessible to high officials and noblemen. These were writings and drawings of possessions for use in the afterlife. 3. Around 1580 BCE, with the rise of the New Kingdom, funerary texts featuring writings and pictures were inked on papyrus. These papyrus manuscripts made the benefits of funerary texts accessible to average Egyptian citizens with limited means. [[The Book of the Dead]] was part of this third phase. Citations Meggs, P. B., & Purvis, A. W. (2016). Meggs' history of graphic Design, 6th edition. In _[[Meggs' History of Graphic Design]]_ (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. Created: February 21, 2021 Last Modified: February 21, 2021