The Book of the Dead was intended to assist the deceased in the afterlife and comprised a collection of hymns, spells and instructions to allow the deceased to pass through obstacles in the afterlife.

The biblical story of Noah's Flood is probably the best-known account of a great deluge in the Ancient Near East. It was written around the 10th century BCE. Seven hundred years earlier, a very similar story of an ancient Babylonian flood was written into the Epic of Gilgamesh, as told by the hero himself. Here are both texts in their entirety, plus foreword and commentary by the famous Orientalist, E.A. Wallis Budge. It is a must-have for any student of history or comparative religions, and collectors of religious texts from around the world.