AN EXHIBITION from the British Museum is being hosted in Hartlepool until May this year.

Writing for Eternity: Decoding Ancient Egypt is a free exhibition at the Museum of Hartlepool.

On display are holy texts such as chapters from the Book of the Dead, which reveals ancient Egyptian spiritual beliefs and burial practices.

Other objects on show include statues, fragments of mummy wrappings and jewellery.

Shabti figures - small mummiform figures that were buried in tombs – are also included. Egyptians believed that Shabtis would come alive in the afterlife and would perform tasks for the deceased. The more Shabtis a person had the less work they had to do in the afterlife.

The exhibition – which runs until May 14 - also features child friendly activities, including the chance to write and dress like an Ancient Egyptian.

Anna Dodgson, cultural officer at Hartlepool Council, said: “We are really lucky to be working with the British Museum to bring these fantastic ancient Egyptian artefacts to the town.

To find out more about the Museum of Hartlepool – including opening times – visit www.hartlepoolsmaritimeexperience.com