The Book of the Dead Manuscripts of the Lady Hatnefer in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo: Two Hieratic Papyri and One Leather Roll (TR-No. 25–1–55–6)

Abstract

Generally, the Book of the Dead in the New Kingdom was inscribed in hieroglyphic and cursive hieroglyphic scripts. However, a few examples were inscribed in hieratic handwriting at the beginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty. This paper will present interesting examples of these early sources. Three hieratic manuscripts from the beginning of the Eighteenth Dynasty belong to the lady Hatnefer, the mother of the renowned Senenmut. This group of hieratic manuscripts consists of two papyri and one leather roll. This paper will also shed light on the handwriting of the manuscripts and try to figure out the number of scribes who were involved in writing these manuscripts based on palaeographical analysis.