Appendix VI: Funerary Texts and the Egyptian Afterlife Appendix VI: Funerary Texts and the Egyptian Afterlife
"My mouth is opened by Ptah, the god of my city has loosened my bindings. Thoth, filled with magic, has come and loosened my bindings, even those that fasten my mouth, Atum has freed my hands."
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The first indications of a belief in the an Afterlife are to be found in the predynastic Badarian graves of the Fourth
Millennium B.C. The internment normally taking place around the fringes of the
settlement i.e. in the desert; where the naturally mummified remains
of the neolithic inhabitants of Egypt were found with a profusion
of grave goods: finely worked flint and bone tools, carved ivory
figurines, slate palettes, the distinctive Badarian pottery and
baked clay "Mother Goddess" figures. Sometimes and especially
in the regions of Lower Egypt (Delta) the graves were placed under
the houses of the living.
After some thousand years and in the Naqada II site there is definite evidence of a mortuary Cult with a distinct style of funereal pottery and plastered and painted tombs with ritual niches for offerings. Tantalising glimpses into the belief of a rich and diverse Afterlife are given in the infamous Tomb 100, excavated around the turn of the century by Frederick Green. These earliest sepulchral wall paintings hinting at a celestial battle involving boats. Unfortunately its exact location has been lost to archeology and awaits rediscovery.
Either through a process of self development or from contact with the Mesopotamian civilisation early in the Third Millennium B.C. the impact of a written language was discovered by the Egyptians. The possibility of recording their names for posterity in the form of "Medu Netcher" (God's Words) or Hieroglyphics (Greek "Sacred carvings"). From this time, names of the earliest Pharaohs being enclosed in a rectangular cartouche or "Serekh" surmounted by the Harwer (Horus) Falcon; thus indicating the Divinity of the Name. Immortalised by history, the name of the first Pharaoh of the 'first' Dynasty has truly survived the test of time: Narmer (classically "Menes" c.3100 B.C.).
Despite the lack of written evidence, the Royal Mastaba burials at Abydos indicate that the entire Royal Household is expected to continue to operate in Death as it did in Life. Provision being made not only of food, furniture and fineries but also for the willing (or unwilling!) co-internment of wives and concubines, advisors and courtiers and innumerable servants/slaves in the "Eternal Palace". All (presumably) being reassured of an Eternal life of service in the Hereafter. The third Pharaoh Djer (c. 3000 B.C.) had some 338 subsidiary burials! From a remnant of his corpse, found during excavations by Flinders Petrie; it can be resolved that the body was not mummified but simply swathed in bandages and was adorned with the oldest examples of Royal Jewellery. Pieces made from lapis lazuli indicating a trade route extending to northern Afghanistan!
The evolution of the theology of the Royal Afterlife can be extrapolated from the gradual transformation of the Royal Tomb: The Mastaba with its palace facade as a "Palace of Eternity"; through the Step Pyramid as a "Stairway to Heaven" for the Ka spirit of the Pharaoh; the 'True' Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops c. 2551-2528 B.C.) hinting at an association with the Stars with its "air shafts" being an astronomical gateway to Sirius (Sopdu, latterly Isis) and the constellation of Orion (Sah). And also, by its very shape, mimicking the protective rays of the Sun and the material manifestation of the power of Ra. This linkage to the Solar cult, evolving at the 'new' capital of Iunet Mehet "The Northern Pillar" (or the Greek Heliopolis) reinforced by the discovery of (Solar) Boat pits surrounding pyramids of this period. Material duplicates of Ra's Celestial barge in which the Pharaoh expected a passage to the Afterlife and even a position as permanent crew!
At the beginning of the Fifth Dynasty (c.2450 B.C.) it is clear that the Solar cult has gained pre-eminence as evidenced by the close association of Solar Temples to the Pyramids of Userkaf and Niuserre.
However for the first written confirmation of Egyptian Religious beliefs we have to wait until 2321 B.C. and the Pyramid of Unas (Wenis).
The first written details about the physical nature of the Afterlife
appear on the inner burial chambers of pyramids of the late Fifth
and early Sixth Dynasty. The best preserved and earliest, being
those found in the pyramid of Unas in the old Memphite necropolis
at Saqqara. Here in the the pharaoh's burial chamber (Verso.)
228 magical formulae or prayers for a successful Afterlife were
carved into the chamber walls, filled with blue paste and then
in certain cases deliberately defaced! (It is assumed that some
of these Hieroglyphs were of such magical power that to leave
them intact would imperil the Soul of the dead Pharaoh. By partially
damaging those with images of lions, snakes, armed men and the
like, the harmful nature would be negated.) The texts are fragmentary
individual passages, excerpts from a larger unseen tradition.
The subsequent pyramids of Tety, Pepy I, Merenre and Pepy II containing
excerpts from the 759 passages discovered to date.
It is important to realise that these excerpts (Recto.) summarise
some two millennia of verbally transmitted traditions and only
partially represent the complex verbal prayers/spells recited
as the body was prepared for burial and interred in the tomb.
Some of these texts are clearly popular and are repeated down
the ages, others appear once and are never seen again. Some like
Spell 666 date back to predynastic burials in the sand and the grammar
and word usage of others hint at great antiquity. Some refer to
the Ka spirit or Soul of the Deceased rising from their left side or to turn to their right to receive
their offerings; this layout of the corpse being found in the
Neolithic burial practices. There are indications of a Royal Bull
cult, probably contemporaneous with Narmer and hint at a Cow Goddess
as an early form of Nut or Hathor Spell 554. These texts seem to indicate that only the Pharaoh would join
the Gods as a star in the heavens Spell 302 but only Spell 273 if he could successfully defeat them in battle and partake of
the powers by ritual cannibalism! Then triumphant as a conqueror
of Gods (and Men) would join with them in the Eternal Heavens
Spell 306. The dead Pharaoh seemed to be initially identified with the
constellation Orion this being the representation of Osiris as
a the Stellar Deity Spell 303 just as Sirius was associated with his wife Isis.
Closeup of Unas' Pyramid texts
However by the end of the Sixth Dynasty and the pre-eminence of the Solar Cult of Ra Spell 469 has the Dead Pharaoh associated with the Sun God and instead of joining Osiris in the Starry Heavens is now expected to become a crew member of the Mesketet: Ra's Solar Boat of the Night.
From inscriptions found in Mastaba burials of nobles, courtiers and other important persons of this period; it is clear that although only the Pharaoh's Ka Spirit would join the Gods; his Ba would remain behind in the Tomb eternally associated with his body and the funereal trappings. In this he was equal with the spirits of lesser mortals which would also continue on after death. However instead of permanently ascending to the Heavens, the Ka spirits of the Nobles would roam the World at will. Returning each night to join the Ba in the tomb to rest. Thus it was important that the deceased's body be preserved so that the Ka would know that they had returned to the right tomb! As a backup to the survival of the corpse, the image of the deceased would be carved in relief and in the form of statues. In wealthier tombs a statue would be placed in a walled up chamber or Serdab ("Cellar" Arabic). Through a small hole the relatives could see a likeness of their dearly departed and the Ka spirit could partake of and converse with the Living World. Additional underground chambers might contain additional figures or sometimes just an emergency backup head.
The importance of the tomb as an arena for these two spirits was its a focus for of regular (ideally daily) offerings of food and drink, vital to their continued existence. Without these ritual offerings they would wither away unless nourishment could be found from other source. At the very worst this could mean having to '...eat filth (excrement) and other unclean things' in order to survive. An important prayer being that this predicament would never arise.
However this was not just a one-way process; the Ka spirit was a powerful intermediary between this World and the Gods and through prayer and offerings could be induced to carry messages to the latter so that they might help the living.
The focus for these offerings was the false door stela usually on the West wall of the Mastaba. (In the case of the Pharaoh a whole Mortuary Temple would be built on one side of the Pyramid. Just to serve his Ba and the occasional visit from the Ka.) Whether it was a Pharaoh's altar or just a simple family chapel, an offering table would be placed here upon which relatives (or contracted mortuary priests) would pile meats and vegetables, beer and wine along with incense, libations of perfumed oils and flowers all the while singing in praise of the deceased with prayers and chants from "The Litany of Offerings" to ensure a happy Afterlife. Here too there was redundancy with 'emergency' carvings of joints of meat, bowls of fruit and vegetables, jars of wine and beer, 'hymns' and incantations that were variants of the Pyramid texts.
Should the offering table go astray, deep within the Tomb were carvings and paintings of the production, preparation and presentation of such offerings along with magical spells to give them the power to nourish the Ba and Ka for all time. The ritual purpose of these representations could also be interpreted as providing a magical afterlife for all of the Noble's Household down to the lowest Serf or Slave. Even though their bodies were not interred in the same custom, practice or location! Eventually this practice evolved into a belief that an Afterlife could be achieved by the painted nature of the walls of the Tomb. Thus scenes unassociated with the production of food and other offerings started to appear, historical scenes indicating past triumphs, domestic scenes: especially parties and scenes indicating the sort of work that the Deceased expected to do in the Afterlife. Eventually these Tomb walls assumed an abstract role with arcane texts taking the centre stage as magical mechanisms for rejuvenation and rebirth into Eternity.
After the failure of the feudal Old Kingdom Pharaohs and the muddle of the First Intermediate Period, the Egyptian people started to claim the Afterlife for themselves. The Pharaoh might be the living incarnation of the son of Ra but all worthy individuals could gain access to the rewards that previously only the Pharaoh could expect. Naturally with their respective positions being maintained. However there was no requirement for a massive pyramid, a simple but appropriately magical Coffin would do!
The practice started as a Royal prerogative in the necropolis of Nen-nesut (Gr. Herakleopolis, Modern Innasya-el-Medina) capital of the 20th Nome of Upper Egypt and home of the Khety family that provided the Ninth and Tenth (Intermediate) Dynasties. (c.2100 - 1750 B.C.)
With the foundation of the Middle Kingdom at the new capital of Amenemhet Itj-tawy "Amenemhet Seizer of Two Lands". (Halfway between the Faiyum and the Nile and some 20 miles (30 kilometres) South of Memphis or Ineb-hedj "The White Wall".) The grand internment of the Pharaoh recommenced in the lesser Pyramids stretching from Dashur to El-Lahun with the Royal Court interred in Mastabas as before. These Mastabas now expropriating the 'Royal' Pyramid Texts and some, the Coffin Texts of the Intermediate Period Pharaohs. This period of change also marked the initial rise to prominence of the God Amen (Amun) who was later to dominate the State Religion until Roman Times.
Another revolution in Funerary practices was the inclusion of Ushabti figurines. These "Answerers" indicating a fundamental change in the nature of the Afterlife. Instead of everyone working in Death as they had in Life, ultimately in service to their Divine Pharaoh. The inclusion of enough of these figurines could mean that everyone could live like a Pharaoh! Ushabti figures could be made quite cheaply thus providing a magical workforce without the requirement for a massive tomb with sufficient wall space for the required number of paintings.
During the later Dynasties of the Middle Kingdom the less wealthy adopted the practices of the previous Khety Dynasty: Being buried in simple chambers with plain or painted walls; with varying numbers of Ushabti figures but always with a gaily decorated coffin painted internally with spells and passwords and a ritual map to help gain access to the Afterlife. The outside incorporated various protective and warding enchantments along with prayers to Anubis and Osiris to bring Righteousness "Ma'at Kheru", Resurrection and Eternal life in the Afterlife. Most importantly, a pair of Magical Eyes so that the Ba and Ka spirits could still look out on the living world. The belief of a universal Afterlife was encouraged by the Priesthood who realised that an egalitarian approach to Eternity could have monetary benefits. Various Temples commenced to collate, duplicate and sell magically imbued texts that would enhance the Deceased's chances of gaining access to the Kingdom of Osiris. This was now achieved via the "Ceremony of the Weighing of the Heart" (See below.)
Some of the internal texts are reiterations of the earlier Pyramid texts offering magical protection from hunger, thirst and other forms of neglect by erring relatives. Others are new embellishments or inventions reflecting the dangerous journey that the Ka spirit must undertake to the Afterlife. This was condensed into a magical route map: "The Book of Two Ways" generally painted on the inside of the Coffin as a handy reference guide. This map was later to evolve into the work now known as Imy-Duat or (Amduat) "The Book of the Underworld".
The Book of the Secret Room or
The Formulae for Coming Forth by Day ( 'The Book of the Dead')
After the Second Intermediate period and the barbarous Set worshipping Hyksos, there was an even more radical departure from the old ways:
("The Book of the Dead" is a modern invention originally coined by the German Egyptologist Lepsius. The ancient Egyptians knowing it as "The Book of the Secret Room" or in later times as "Formulae for Coming Forth by Day".)
Initially the "The Book of the Secret Room" would be wrapped with the Mummy and often placed between the legs. However an innovation in the New Kingdom saw the appearance of a hollow statue of the deceased, usually in mummiform. The personalised text would be hidden inside the secret compartment. Presumably if the Mummy itself was ransacked by tomb robbers, the plain wooden statue would still provide a symbolic tether for the Ba and Ka spirits
Early 'excerpts' in the form of the Coffin Texts can be firmly dated back to the Twelfth Dynasty, being identical in content to the 'Chapters' which appear in the later New Kingdom papyri of the Theban Recension. This is the classical version of the work and used as the basis for the subsequent copies made down the ages. Full versions of this latter work being, quite literally, very lengthy documents averaging 60 cubits, 90 feet or 30 metres with even longer ones discovered and reconstructed! Unsurprisingly the work was divided into set sequences or Chapters which remained relatively fixed in order and content right through to the Roman Occupation. These Chapters are still used by modern scholars of these Texts; Egyptologists traditionally numbering this Book in Chapters from 1 to 165 based on Lepsius' first formal translation/reconstruction (1842) of a Saite Recension version (late 26th Dynasty of the 7th Century B.C.) that was interred with the noble Iufankh. This has been subsequently extended and revised to 190 Chapters. However this sequence was never that formal in Ancient Egypt!
Only a few complete papyri exist from the New Kingdom but these Texts are extensively used in the non-royal Tombs of that period.
In these the old story of Osiris, sidelined by the Heliopolitan mystique and the cult of a singularly divine Pharaoh, had now returned to centre stage. The Sacred Spells recited over the dead body of the Pharaoh in the Pyramid Texts were now incorporated into these 'handy references' provided for the Ka spirit of anyone who could afford the services of a Scribe. Indeed it would seem that these magical texts could even substitute for the extensive provision of Amulets and other protective devices normally incorporated into the wrappings of the Mummy. Although in many cases the wealthier clients of the embalmers art would include both the Amulet and a scrap of paper with the appropriate passage! Eventually these texts would be written on the wrappings themselves.
The first sequences in The Book of the Secret Room describe and substitute for the 'traditional' magical precursors to the internment. Providing there was a textual representation (Spell 156) even the Thet of Isis could be dispensed with! The Book continues with descriptions of the proper form of the Funeral procession and the liturgy of the "Opening of the Mouth Ceremony".
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In later times these early Chapters would be expanded upon to
become Books of their own:
"Are your Loved ones Lamenting in your family shrine? Are the Dearly Departed Dozing in Duat and Deaf to your Devotions? Wake 'em up with our latest development in magical technology. Just follow this easy to use manual and you too can re-enact this complex ceremony previously requiring an expensive Sem Priest. With this Book and our "Ur Hekau" Tool (patent pending) you too can wake the Dead, merely using a statue (or reasonable facsimile) of your loved one!" Advertising campaign from the Late Period.
Once in the Tomb the Ka had to descend into the Underworld. In The Book of the Secret Room the emphasis shifts from the Pharaoh's fearsome journey, fighting various monsters on a route to the Stars (as described in the Pyramid Texts above) or through the Underworld in the Mesketet Boat of Auf-Ra (in the Imy-duat below) to a merely tortuous one involving the use of complex spells to effect transformations into mythical creatures and/or deities to confuse and defeat specific demons on the way to the Land of the West.
Once there it was necessary to pass through any number of Gates and visit special locations "The Pool of the South", "The City of the North" (The latter apparently "in the Field of Grasshoppers, wherein the divine sailors of Ra bathe at the second hour of the night and at the third hour of the day; and the hearts of the Gods are gratified after they have passed through it,..." (Papyrus of Nu, Chapter 125 Book of the Dead trans. Budge)
These spells or passwords were not merely required by demon Gatekeepers even the Gates themselves had intelligence! This was especially true in the Palace of Judgement either to the "Hall of Ma'at" representing Divine Truth and Order or the Hall of Osiris representing Divine Rebirth and the Resurrection. Before the Ka of the deceased could enter (or perhaps depart) these areas they had to give the True Names "Ren" of the various parts of this sentient Gate the "Khersek-shu" in response to their individual ritual challenges: Door-bolts, Left and Right pillars, the Threshold, Hasp, Socket Hole, Porter, Side Posts, Floor. Followed by a ritual challenge from the Door-Keeper and finally Thoth himself. (Chapter 125)
Here too there were later Extensions and Revisions
"The Book of the Halls" (of Judgement) this collated the various Chapters and Spells distributed through
the original Book and other works into a single definitive and
concise work. With especial emphasis on the nature of the Ceremony
of the Weighing of the Heart.
The Book of Portals later all these Gates and Portals to the Kingdom of Osiris would
also see separate publication.
The Ceremony of the Weighing of the Heart
In the Hall of Divine Order the Goddess Ma'at (Mayet) would preside over a Court of Truth to determine if the Deceased was Ma'at Kheru "True of Speech" Also present would be Thoth as Court Recorder and Anubis as Court Adjuster to the Scales of Justice. Other personalities could be Shai "Destiny" and Renenutet "Good Fortune" sometimes combined with Meskenhet who would always be present to plead in mitigation of the Ka of the Deceased. The latter would then perform a ritual declaration of innocence to a special jury comprising :
The Twelve Members of the Heliopolitan Ennead (excluding Set and Osiris): Atum,
Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Horus the Elder, Isis, Nephthys, Horus
the Son, plus Hathor, Sia "The Divine Vision of Atum" and Hu "The
Divine Word..." (Papyrus of the Scribe Ani. 104.47 cubits long!
That's 178 feet 3 inches! New Kingdom 1550 - 1076 B.C.) or
The Forty two Members of the Tutelary Deities representing the 'Classical' number of
Nomes of Egypt. (Turin Papyrus. Length unknown dating back only
to the Ptolemaic Period 332-395 A.D.)
At other times 36 or 46 members depending on how well the Empire was doing!
This ritual declaration of innocence or Negative Confession comprised a variable number of formal statements. In some cases
42 points addressed to each of the tutelary deities or a longer
declaration of up to 400 parts. As a counterpoint to this, the
Heart of the Deceased would be placed in one pan of the Scales
of Justice (Vo.) and the Feather of Ma'at placed in the other
(Ro.). There might be some last minute adjustments by Anubis and
the Balance was then allowed to swing freely, determining if the
Heart (and Soul) of the Deceased was of the correct standard.
It was equally important that it was neither too light nor too
heavy. Presumably indicating a morally correct but not over pious
life or a life lived to the full but not to excess. At this stage
the Deceased would utter protective formulae and commands to his
Heart that it not bear false witness to his Righteousness:
" My Heart my Mother! My Heart my Mother! My Heart whereby I came into being! May naught stand up to oppose me in the judgement; may there be no opposition to me in the presence of the sovereign princes;..." (Papyrus of the Scribe Ani).
Thoth was on hand to record the judgement and if all went well the Ka was then led by one of the Deities, generally Horus, into the presence of Osiris where yet more declarations, prayers and formal statements were made before being, at last, at one with the God and thus reborn into Eternity in the next world.
Failing this the Ka spirit would be fed to Ammit (Ammut, Amenait) "The Devourer" a fearsome demon with the forelimbs of a Leopard, the hindquarters of a Hippopotamus and the mouthparts of a Crocodile and thus denying the Deceased a second rebirth into the Afterlife.
Some of the texts in The Book of the Halls... contain more detailed descriptions of the various lands to be found in the Kingdom of Osiris including the 'Elysian' Field of Reeds "Iaru or Illaru", the dock where the Day and Night boats of Ra are kept and importantly a Hall where Demons feed the "burning wells" (fiery furnaces?) In these later texts the unworthy are not fed to Ammit but instead hurled into these pits to burn for eternity.
The history of some of these passages can be dated back to the Pyramid Texts, however most were radically new thaumaturgical texts on thanotic theology.
For a period this Renaissance in ritual rebirth took an even more radical departure with the Aten Heresy. But once past this dangerous period, the Egyptian people re-embraced the Old Gods. Just as the Deceased, after passing though its dangerous period, would be depicted in the safe company of the welcoming deities of the Underworld. Principally Hathor in her aspect of Amentet "the Lady of the West" and naturally Thoth and Anubis, Isis and Nephthys plus any personal favorites.
One of these would perform a lustration, the "njnj" purification
rite. Then there would be the Hall of Judgement and the rebirth
of the Deceased as an aspect of Osiris. Then a favorite deity
would bestow Eternal life, in the form of an Ankh, pressed to
the mouth of the Ka of the Deceased; who would then reside in
the Fields of the Blessed. Once the Ka had been accepted for its
eternal sojourn in the Heaven, so too could the Ba re-emerge once
again into the daylight and partake of the land of the living.
Hence the final title for "The Book..." "The Formulae for Coming
Forth by Day" (Reu-nu-pert-em-hru). In theory this journey of
the Ka Spirit and reward of Eternal Life taking place over the
seventy days of the embalming process. Thus as the Mummy was being
interred in the Tomb, this final ceremony would be a Corporeal
Corroboration of the Celestial Confirmation!
Ritual Hes Vase
Between two pylons. Part of Tutankhamun's Funerary Furniture (used
in the 'njnj' purification rite)
The Book of Coming Forth by Day
The Late Period contents comprised a wide variety of texts extracted from the various Books described above (and below!). The development of this collection of magical writings came to dominate the internment process. Wall paintings derived from its Chapters largely replacing the extensive scenes of everyday life and the obligatory sequence depicting the preparation and presentation of offerings to the Ba and Ka spirit. Lesser mortals in smaller or less ornate tombs would have to content themselves with selected passages or magically condensed summaries painted on the walls. Certain Scribes would claim that their mystical tables and literary abstractions were just as good as many verses of traditional texts copied from ancient master copies. For the masses there were mass produced scrolls containing (poorly) edited highlights and magical pictures worth a thousand words! Blank spaces were left for the Deceased's name. These would be placed between the Mummy's legs or concealed inside secret compartments in cheap wood and plaster statues. Eventually at the end of the Egyptian Empire this work became known as
Now that the Royal prerogative of the Afterlife had been seized
by the masses and the Pyramid and Coffin Texts become part of
a common post thanotic theurgy. It was now essential to invent
some new exclusive rites and rituals to separate the Pharaoh from
his People!
The Ka Spirit of the Pharaoh Amenophis II being transported to
fair Ament on the back of a winged Serpent
The Pharaohs and Nobles of the New Kingdom, based at Thebes, now chose to copy the simple rock cut tomb used by the less well off of a previous period. Transforming it into a sumptuous sepulchre for their Ka spirit and simultaneously a magical engine of rejuvenation in which the Royal Ka would descent to the Underworld, overcome many difficulties and rise once more to achieve eternal life in Heaven and Earth. Meanwhile their Ba Spirit would now be catered for by the separate mortuary temple; kept well away from the Tomb with its rich funereal trappings! This divorce of the two spirits emphasising the increasing difference between the two aspects of the collective Soul.
From these Royal burials of the New Kingdom it would seem that the monumental task of having the entire text from "The Book of the Secret Room" carved in bas relief and painted on the walls of the tomb would not suffice. Instead an even more complex transubstantiation from Mortal Pharaoh to Celestial Deity was required; based in part on sections of the Book of the Two Ways that were reserved for the Coffins of the Royal Burials of the Ninth and Tenth (Intermediate) Dynasties. This work was divided into 12 sections each being associated with one of the Twelve Hours of the Night. In the process becoming the Imy-Duat "Book of the Underworld" later expanded with the "The Book of Gates", "The Book of Caverns", "The Book of Day and Night" and "The Book of Earth".
Imy-duat, Amduat (Book of the Underworld) or
The Book of the Two Ways
A product of the Heliopolitan recension of the "Book of the Dead"
and uniquely Royal extension The Book of the Two Ways with all the spells and handy hints necessary for the Ka Spirit
of the Pharaohs Tuthmosis III and Amenhotep II to make their way
into eternal life. It used as a primary metaphor the nightly journey
and Rebirth of Ra or Auf-Ra and his Solar Barge of the Evening: The Mesketet through the Underworld from its entrance in Manu The Mountain of the West (The Land of the Dead) to its exit in
the Eastern Mountain of Bakhu (The Land of the Living). In addition to Auf-Ra the Mesketet
would carry a variably named crew. Either the Heliopolitan Ennead
(Atum et al) or larger crews of 14 deities "The Companions of
Ra" including Hu and Sia who would bear the Eye of Horus. Upuaut who would take Thoth's place as Lookout. Similarly Isis, mysteriously named the "Lady of the Boat", could be replaced
by one of the Twelve Hathors. Each manifestation of the Goddess being responsible for Guiding
the Mesketet through one of the Caverns. The Mesketet was under
the comand of the Captain Kherep "Controller" In addition to the other variably named Gods the
crew would be joined by the Ka of the Pharaoh. With everyone aboard
and heralded by Baboons, the First set of Gates were opened and
the Mesketet set forth on the Undergrould equivalent of the Celestial
Nile: The River Wernes.
The Amenhotep II personified as the "Flesh of Osiris" is protected
by the coils of the Mehen Snake and oversees the ritual beheading
of the Kings enemies during the Seventh Hour
This underground river had no current and obviously as there was
no wind in the Caverns, the Boat had to be hauled by hand. Usually
by four special deities and sometimes by all the crew. Each Cavern,
equated as one of the Twelve "Hours of the Night" contains various
fantastic Deities and Demons with equally fantastic names. In
certain Caverns the denizens of the Underworld were friendly Souls
living in Cities and tilling their Fields by the Light of Ra.
These could be asked to help. In other Caverns there were Chimeric
Monsters "Mutations" who would battlle Ra and the Crew before
being defeated and allowing the Barge to pass. During the journey
Ra would bring light to the Caverns and the Souls of those condemned
to the Underworld. Certain worthy members amongst these lost souls
could be redeemed/rescued and taken on board the Boat, eventually
to be disembarked in the Kingdom of Osiris. Indeed in later periods
Osiris would largely replace the role of Ra in this journey.
Region "The Cavern of"
Tutellary Goddess
The City (of the Underworld)
"Head Splitter of the Enemies of Ra"
The River
"The All Wise Protectress of her Lord"
The Fields of Grain
"Soul Slicer"
Mutations
"Great of Power"
Decay and Darkness (Sokar)
"She on her Boat"
The Deepest Cavern
"Skilled Leader"
Resurrection (Osiris)
"Repeller of Apophis"
Eternal Rest
"Mistress of the Night"
Ghosts
"Adorer"
The Narrows
"Beheader of Traitors"
The Necropolis
"Repulser of Rebels"
The Cavern of Rebirth
"Beholder of the Beauty of Ra"
(In this way there was a nightly parallel to the Harrowing of Hell: When Jesus, after his Resurrection and Ascension belatedly raided Hell and performed an extraction to rescue all the Virtuous Pagans, Unbaptised Saints and the Prophets of the Israelites who had been condemned to Hell on a technicality.) It should be noted that for the most part there are closer parallels to the cheerless Asphodel Fields of the Realm of Hades rather than the traditional Christian idea of Hell. Heaven or the Elysian Fields of the Greeks being represented by Fair Ament.
For more details on this journey the Reader is directed to any number of erudite (and wildly conflicting!) interpretations of the various versions of the Imy-duat discovered to date.
By the New Kingdom this Royal regenerative process derived from the Heliopolitan Pyramid Texts had become amplified into a sequence of 765 divinities that were involved in the daily rebirth of the Sun. This being introduced after it became generally accepted that most Egyptians "True of Voice" could expect some sort of Eternal Life after Death.
Finally the Mesketet would pass through:
The Litanies of Ra comprised a separate work, describing in detail this daily mechanism
by which the Sun is reborn. Some seventy five transformations
undertaken by Ra during his passage through the sky and more importantly
through the Caverns of the Night. Additional verses describing
the way in which the amalgamation of the Pharaoh's Ka spirit with
that of these solar aspects would bring about a Royal regeneration.
{Possibly as a piece of counter propaganda by the Priests of Heliopolis
with the increase in importance of the Osiris Cult!}
Sections from these texts, a Royal prerogative in the New Kingdom, would eventually appear in the "The Formulae for Coming Forth by Day". However certain aspects remained special to the Royal Resurrection as only the Pharaoh, as the Horus-Son of Ra, could expect to actually join his Celestial Father in the Solar Barge. The most striking example of this difference is that between the Tomb paintings of Ramesses III and the various sequences and extensions to the Imy-Duat and the paintings found on the walls of his sons: Scenes from the Book of the Secret Room specialising on the 21 Gates to the Kingdom of Osiris (Chapters 145 and 146).
Another important work
The Book of Day and The Book of Night These two works are a standard Celestial or "Astronomical" Ceiling
to the barrel vault of the burial chamber in the middle period
of the New Kingdom. Not exclusively Royal the best versions are
nevertheless to be found in the Tombs of the New Kingdom Pharaohs
notably Seti (Sethos) I and Ramesses VI. Their depiction permitting
the Deceased an eternal view of the twin images of Nut encompassing
her nightly gestation and daily rebirth of the Solar Disc. The
black vault containing a star map of the constellations along
with the various stellar deities and incantations some traceable
back to the Pyramid texts. The earliest version of this Book (Ro.)
*being found on the ceiling of the secret tomb of Senenmut the
"Chief Steward of Amun", Architect of the mortuary temple of The
Pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut and, according to some authorities, a
"close personal friend"... Because of the nature of this ceiling
it is the first tomb that can be precisely located in History
and is dated by the positions of the stars to 1463 B.C.!.
Book of Gates At the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty in the Tomb of Horemheb there
appears a new set of Royal Texts: The Book of Gates (Not to be
confused with those found in the Kingdom of Osiris).
An embellishment of the Imy-Duat expanding the special nature
of the Twelve Gates that separated the Twelve Hours/Caverns of
the night. This appeared after the Aten Heresy and is hinted at
in the Tomb of Tutankhamun with twelve Baboon Deities acting as
Gatekeepers to the Twelve Hours of the Night. The complete version
of this extension first appearing on the tomb walls of Horemheb
(1321-1295 B.C.) The transitional Pharaoh between the 18th and
19th Dynasties, formerly the general and royal scribe to Tutankhamun
and Ay of the Amarna Period. Thereafter appearing in the Tombs
of the Ramesside Pharaohs of the Nineteenth Dynasty Each Gate
having its Fire spitting Serpent Keeper and requiring special
events, spells and words of power to enable safe passage. In these
texts Osiris starts to take a place of importance in the nightly
events in the Amduat along with Atum, the Mehen Snake, the Twelve
Hathors and the other 765 aspects of Ra in the story.
In later versions of this Royal progress to rebirth there is an
increasing convergence of the Underworld of Duat and that of the
Fields of Illaru where the justified live in an eternal pastoral
idyl. After the sixth gate Osiris is seen firmly enthroned as
the Ruler of Duat and the Caverns seem to be filled with the Souls
of the Justified rather than the Condemned.
Gate
Guardian Serpent
He of the Secret Name (Osiris)
"Desert Guardian"
Searing Flame
"Enveloper"
Lady of Sustenance
"Stinger"
The Dynamic One
"Burning Face"
Lady of Succession
"Flaming Eye"
The Throne of her Lord
"All Seeing Eye"
The Shining One
"The Hidden Eye"
Scarlet Flame
"Burning Face"
Adored on High
"Earth Tusk"
Sacred
"Binder"
The Secret One
"Discharger"
Holy Might
"The Dawning One"
(& "Enveloper"
Book of Caverns. In the middle of the Nineteenth dynasty in the Tomb of Meremptah
a further extension or reorganisation to the Imy-Duat takes place.
This is a macabre reinterpretation of the inhabitants and sacred
geography of the Underworld in the form of a series of Caverns
that Ra traverses on foot. Each Cavern has a special emphasis on the various horrific punishments
that the Enemies of Ra and those of the Pharaoh will suffer in
their Afterlife. Her these is no hope of redemption as in the
Imy-Duat and the scenes bear a remarkable resemblance to those
of the Medieval visions of Hell.
"Oh you Goddesses of the Searing Flame! Stir the Cauldrons of Burning with the Bones of the Dead. Consume their Khat (Body) their Ba (Spirit) their Ka (Mind) their Akh (Soul) and their Khabit (Shadow or Astral form. I.e. everything!) Look I pass close to you (whilst) you destroy my enemies. You will stay in this Cavern. And your Fires will heat the Cauldrons. You will not be allowed to leave and you may not join my entourage."
Book of Earth (Ro.) this text describes the magical sequence of events after
the Mesketet Boat of Ra has left the Caverns and Ra has been reborn
as the Solar Disc. In this Ra oversees the creation of the New
Day which requires various magical events and commands the deities
involved to make a good job of it before he climbs into the Manketet
Boat to enable the Dawn!
The most complete version of these three works are found on the walls of the tomb of Ramesses V (usurped by his brother Ramesses VI!)
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Welcome to the Secret Kingdom of Osiris
(Unfortunately)
The Portals to the Lands of Osiris
In the many works there seems to be some confusion as to the exact number and nature of these portals. In Chapter 144 there is mention of 5 Gates to the Kingdom of Osiris. In Chapter 146 there are 10 Gates to the field of Iaru "The field of Reeds" or Elysian Fields. In the New Kingdom tombs there are descriptions of 21 Gates and in some later papyri there are only seven Gates but each with three different guardians.
This could represent a continuous process of theological revision or equally a deliberate and callous marketing ploy
"sorry guv there's been a celestial reorganisation we're gonna have to repaint that wall/write a new Book. Mind you it won't be cheap there's four new demons and ten new passwords to fit in!"
Portals to the Halls of Osiris
The 21 Gates to the Hall of Osiris
(Work in Progress)