The Book of the Dead was most often written on papyrus.
Papyrus was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, which grew abundantly in the wetlands of the Nile Valley. Strips of the plant were laid in overlapping layers, pressed together, and dried into sheets suitable for writing. Its light weight and flexibility made it especially practical for long funerary scrolls.
The Book of the Dead was not one fixed volume. It was a changing collection of spells, prayers, and illustrations assembled for particular individuals. From the New Kingdom onward, these texts were commonly copied onto papyrus and placed in a coffin or burial chamber to assist the deceased’s journey through the Duat, or underworld.
Papyrus was not the only surface used. Related funerary spells could also appear on coffins, tomb walls, linen, amulets, or mummy wrappings. Clay tablets are strongly associated with Mesopotamian writing, while parchment became more common in later Mediterranean and Near Eastern manuscript traditions.