Innovation No. 66 of 77 in the book
The Illustrated Manual
The Book of the Dead as the first step-by-step visual guidebook
- When
- c. 1550 BCE
- Dynasty
- 18th Dynasty
- Era
- New Kingdom
The Book of the Dead, taking shape around 1550 BCE, is the world’s first illustrated how-to guide — a step-by-step manual, with pictures, for navigating the afterlife.
Each spell was paired with a painted illustration showing exactly what to do or say — text and diagram side by side, so the reader could follow along.
That format — instructions plus a matching picture — is the ancestor of every manual, guidebook and flat-pack assembly sheet since.
The illustrated instruction manual was first published on the Nile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the earliest archaeological evidence for the illustrated manual in ancient Egypt?
The earliest confirmed evidence dates to approximately 1550 BCE during Egypt's New Kingdom (18th Dynasty). The Book of the Dead, taking shape around 1550 BCE, is the world’s first illustrated how-to guide — a step-by-step manual, with pictures, for navigating the afterlife.
How did ancient Egyptians develop the illustrated manual, and what is its legacy?
Each spell was paired with a painted illustration showing exactly what to do or say — text and diagram side by side, so the reader could follow along. Each spell was paired with a painted illustration showing exactly what to do or say — text and diagram side by side, so the reader could follow along. The illustrated instruction manual was first published on the Nile.