Book of the Dead Papyrus Discovered in Saqqara

CAIRO, EGYPT—Live Science reports that a 52-foot-long papyrus containing sections of the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead has been found in a coffin at a Saqqara tomb by Egyptian archaeologists from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The tomb, dated to between 712 and 332 B.C., is situated to the south of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which was built between 2630 and 2611 B.C. The document, estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, is believed to have helped the dead navigate the underworld. Mostafa Waziry of the Supreme Council of Antiquities said it is the first full papyrus from the Book of the Dead to be discovered at Saqqara in more than 100 years. To read about supernatural beings who guarded ancient Egyptians in life and death, go to "The World of Egyptian Demons."