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Highlights: Book of the Dead of Kha

A Masterpiece of Ancient Egyptian Funerary Art and Adaptation

One of the most remarkable manuscripts in the collection is the Book of the Dead belonging to Kha, who served as Superintendent of Works in the royal necropolis during the reigns of Amenhotep II and Amenhotep III (c. 1425–1353 BCE), in the mid-Eighteenth Dynasty. In 1906, during the excavation of Tomb 8 at Deir el-Medina, Ernesto Schiaparelli discovered the papyrus in exceptional condition, carefully placed atop Kha’s inner coffin, almost completely concealed beneath it.

Kha and Merit

This lengthy scroll, written in cursive hieroglyphs, contains thirty-three spells from the Book of the Dead, a funerary compilation intended to guide, protect, and resurrect the deceased in the afterlife. The text is arranged from left to right and showcases a high level of scribal skill. Colorful vignettes are interspersed throughout, adding vivid visual richness. The opening image depicts Kha and his wife Merit in front of the underworld god Osiris.

Adaption for Kha

Kha’s name appears frequently throughout the manuscript, typically following titles introduced by phrases such as “words spoken by” or “he says,” or at the end of individual spells. Intriguingly, in spells 13 and 17, the space reserved for the owner’s name is left blank. This suggests that the manuscript was originally prepared for another individual. When it was later adapted for Kha, his name was added, but not consistently throughout the text.

Although the Book of the Dead was not originally commissioned for Kha, its exceptional quality implies it was always intended for a person of high status. Its sophisticated layout and vibrant illustrations - though not entirely completed - attest to the care and expertise involved in its creation. Evidence of later revisions during its reuse for Kha is particularly striking. For example, the opening vignette depicts Osiris in his typical mummiform, yet beneath the white paint lies a faint feathered pattern. This overpainting may reflect a shift in aesthetic preference or religious symbolism during the manuscript’s adaptation for Kha.

Multispectral analysis

In February 2024, an in-depth scientific analysis of the papyrus was conducted as part of a project led by the Museo Egizio, supported by the MOLAB mobile laboratory of E-RIHS (European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science), in collaboration with research teams from ISPC-CNR (Catania, Florence, Milan, Rome), SCITEC-CNR in Perugia, and the SMAArt Centre at the University of Perugia.

The advanced analytical techniques employed included:

  • Scanning Macro X-ray Fluorescence (MA-XRF)
  • Ultraviolet and Infrared Imaging (UV-IR)
  • Hyperspectral Imaging in the Visible and Near-Infrared range (VIS-NIR HSI)
  • High-resolution Digital Microscopy
  • Mapping X-ray Diffraction (MA-XRD)
  • Raman Spectroscopy
  • Micro-SORS (Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy)
  • External Reflection Spectroscopy in the VIS-NIR and IR ranges

These investigations revealed a complex palette of pigments:

  • White: huntite, used for background areas
  • Yellow: orpiment (As₂S₃), with arsenolite (As₂O₃) identified as a degradation product
  • Blue: cuprorivaite (Egyptian blue)
  • Green: copper chloride compounds and copper oxalates (Cu-oxa), occasionally mixed with traces of Egyptian blue
  • Red: hematite (red ochre, Fe₂O₃), confirmed by iron fluorescence

Of particular significance was the detection of layered paint structures using Micro-SORS. This technique uncovered, for example, that orpiment was applied over a layer of realgar (As₄S₄) in the depiction of solar motifs.

The Book of the Dead papyrus of Kha stands as one of the best-preserved examples from ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom. Its fine materials, precise handwriting, and vibrant illustrations demonstrate the care and skill invested in its production. Yet, a closer examination reveals its intriguing history of reuse. Names were erased and rewritten, some decorations left unfinished, and certain details added later; evidence that the papyrus was first created for another owner and subsequently adapted for Kha, an important official in the royal necropolis.

Studying this manuscript has deepened our understanding of ancient Egyptian scribal and artistic practices, especially the reuse of valuable materials and the varied use of pigments. Thanks to modern non-invasive imaging and analytical technologies, we can now trace these changes in remarkable detail. This approach allows us to follow the “life story” of ancient objects and better appreciate how they were made, used, and transformed over time.

Advanced Investigation of the Book of the Dead of Kha at the Museo Egizio of Turin
Team MOLAB mobile laboratory of E-RIHS

  • Alessandra Botteon¹
  • Michela Botticelli¹
  • David Buti¹
  • Claudia Caliri¹
  • Laura Cartechini²
  • Annalaura Casanova Municchia¹
  • Claudia Conti¹
  • Valeria Di Tullio¹
  • Enrico Ferraris³
  • Margherita Giugni¹˒⁴
  • Loredana Luvidi¹
  • Donata Magrini¹
  • Letizia Monico²
  • Eva Luna Ravan¹˒⁴
  • Aldo Romani⁵
  • Francesco Paolo Romano¹
  • Francesca Rosi²
  • Gianluca Santagati¹
  • Susanne Töpfer³

Affiliations:

¹ CNR – Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale (ISPC), Italia ² CNR – Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta” (SCITEC), Italia ³ Fondazione Museo delle Antichità Egizie di Torino, Italia ⁴ Sapienza Università di Roma, Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia, Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità, Italia ⁵ Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università di Perugia, Italia

Museo Egizio