Pyramid Texts

Carved directly into the stone walls of underground chambers and sarcophagi, these ancient inscriptions serve as the earliest known collection of religious writings from Egypt. Dating back to roughly 2400–2300 BCE, they emerged during the late Old Kingdom at Saqqara and continued through the Sixth Dynasty. The texts were composed in Old Egyptian specifically for the pharaohs, excluding commoners and queens except for Wedjebten, Neith, and Iput. Unlike later funerary guides such as Coffin Texts or The Book of the Dead, these carvings lacked illustrations and focused entirely on spells designed to ensure the king's safe passage into the afterlife. While their presence vanished from royal pyramids during the Middle Kingdom, the traditions persisted, eventually appearing on the tombs of high officials in the New Kingdom.[edit]