Editing Book of Abraham (section)

==Origin==
{{Main|Joseph Smith Papyri}}
{{See also|Eyewitness accounts associated with the Joseph Smith Papyri}}
[[File:Joseph Smith Papyri Reconstructed.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|Reconstructed papyri from existing and known fragments]]

Eleven mummies and several papyri were discovered near the ancient Egyptian city of [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]] by [[Antonio Lebolo]] between 1818 and 1822. Following Lebolo's death in 1830, the mummies and assorted objects were sent to New York with instructions that they should be sold in order to benefit the heirs of Lebolo.<ref name=ritner11>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|p=11}}.</ref> Michael H. Chandler eventually came into possession of the mummies and artifacts and began displaying them, starting in [[Philadelphia]].<ref name=ritner12>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|p=12}}.</ref> Over the next two years Chandler toured the eastern United States, displaying and selling some of the mummies as he traveled.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rhodes|2005|pp=1–2}}.</ref><ref name=autogenerated2>{{Harvnb|Smith et al.|1902|p=236}}.</ref>

In late June or early July 1835, Chandler exhibited his collection in [[Kirtland, Ohio]]. A promotional flyer created by Chandler states that the mummies "may have lived in the days of Jacob, Moses, or David".<ref name=ritner1415>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|pp=14–15}}.</ref> At the time, Kirtland was the home of the Latter Day Saints, led by [[Joseph Smith]]. In 1830 Smith published the [[Book of Mormon]] which he said he translated from ancient [[golden plates]] that had been inscribed with "[[reformed Egyptian]]" text. He took an immediate interest in the papyri and soon offered Chandler a preliminary translation of the scrolls.<ref name=ritner1/> Smith said that the scrolls contained the writings of [[Abraham]] and [[Joseph (Hebrew Bible)|Joseph]], as well as a short [[Kirtland Egyptian papers#Notebooks of Copied Egyptian Characters|history of an Egyptian princess named "Katumin"]].<ref name=ritner2>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|p=2}}.</ref> He wrote:

{{blockquote|[W]ith [[William Wines Phelps|W. W. Phelps]] and [[Oliver Cowdery]] as scribes, I commenced the translation of some of the characters or hieroglyphics, and much to our joy found that one of the [scrolls] contained the writings of Abraham, another the writings of Joseph of Egypt, etc. &ndash; a more full account of which will appear in its place, as I proceed to examine or unfold them.<ref name=autogenerated2 />}}

Smith, [[Joseph Coe]], and Simeon Andrews soon purchased the four mummies and at least five papyrus documents for $2,400 ({{Inflation|US|2400|1835|r=-3|fmt=eq}}).<ref name=ritner1>{{Harvnb|Ritner|2013|p=1}}.</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Gee|2000a|p=3}}.</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Known Egyptian documents sold to Joseph Smith
|-
! Egyptian document !! Text description !! Joseph Smith's description !! Joseph Smith Papyri number !! Date created
|-
| [[Breathing Permit of Hôr|"Hor Book of Breathing"]] || Funerary scroll made for a Theban Priest name Horus (also Horos, Hor). It is among the earliest known copies of the Book of Breathing. Sometimes referred to as a ''Breathing Permit'' or ''Sensen text''|| "Book of Abraham" || I, torn fragments pasted into IV, X, XI and Facsimile #3 || Between 238–153 BC
|-
| [[Joseph Smith Papyri#Book of Joseph Scroll or Book of the Dead for TaSheritMin|"Ta-sherit-Min Book of the Dead"]] || Funerary scroll made for Ta-sherit-Min (also Tshemmin, Semminis)|| "[[Book of Joseph (Latter Day Saints)|Book of Joseph]]" || II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII || {{circa|300–100 BC}}
|-
| [[Joseph Smith Papyri#Book of the Dead for Nefer-ir-nebu|"Nefer-ir-nebu Book of the Dead" Judgement Scene]] || Funerary papyrus scroll fragment made for Nefer-ir-nebu (also Neferirtnub, Noufianoub) showing a vignette with the deceased standing before Osiris, waiting to have her heart weighed on a balance against a feather, to determine if she is worthy of further existence, or having her soul devoured by [[Ammit]] || No known description given by Joseph Smith. || III a, b || {{circa|300–100 BC}}
|-
| [[Joseph Smith Papyri#Book of the Dead for Amenhotep|"Amenhotep Book of the Dead"]] || Fragment from a funerary scroll made for Amenhotep (also Amen-ophis) || Parts were translated as a short history of a Princess Katumin, daughter of Pharaoh Onitas|| The papyrus is no longer extant.  Characters were copied into a notebook (see [[Kirtland Egyptian papers#Notebooks of Copied Egyptian Characters|Kirtland Egyptian Papers]]).|| Unknown
|-
| [[Hypocephalus of Sheshonq|Sheshonq Hypocephalus]] || A [[hypocephalus|funerary text]] placed under the head of the deceased named Sheshonq (also Shashaq, Sesonchis)|| Facsimile #2 from the "Book of Abraham" || The papyrus is no longer extant. || Unknown
|}