The Art of Ancient Egypt, Pyramid Texts, Hieroglyphs

Pyramid text begins to emerge during the Old Kingdom, 2650 to 2150 BCE. They are notably seen on the sarcophagi and walls of pyramids at Saqqara. These texts inform us of the lives, actions, and accomplishments of pharaohs in ancient Egyptian civilization. These texts, recognized as the oldest religious writings in the world, offer us details into the personalities of deified rulers who lived 4,500 years ago. The text, arranged in registers of vertical or horizontal bands, organize the visual element of the funerary literature. The text acts as a spell hoping to guide the deceased soul through their transition from life into the afterlife. Pyramid text is inscribed into walls and sarcophagi of stone, yet can so too be seen inside wooden sarcophagi. Interestingly, the size constraints within wooden sarcophagi cause the emergence of short-form writing of spells. The funerary literature of pyramid text acts as spells, alludes to myths, and guides souls into the afterlife. Its proliferation from the Old Kingdom into the Middle Kingdom in 2030-1650 BCE tells us of an even more remarkable story. In the Old Kingdom, these texts were reserved for the tombs of pharaohs and the elite. However, the pyramid-style text that begins to emerge during the Middle Kingdom on citizens' coffins far down the social structure from that of the elites and deified pharaohs. The emergence of pyramid-style text in a common person's coffins tells us of an increased access to the afterlife, as this conveyance of personal piety alludes to religion becoming more egalitarian.