Kingdom of Osiris According to the Book Am-Tuat

[Full title: Seventh Division of the Tuat. I. Kingdom of Osiris According to the Book Am-Tuat]

The name of this DIVISION, or HOUR, is THEPHET-SHETAT, the name of the Gate is RUTI-ASAR, and the goddess of the Hour is KHEFTES-HAU-HESQ-NEHA-HRA. On looking at the "secret path of AMENTET" wherein AFU-RA is still travelling, we note that the face of the god is turned in another direction, that the crew is increased by Isis and by SER, whose name has also been read SEMSU, and that the canopy under which AFU-RA stands is formed of the body of the serpent MEHEN (Vol. i., p. 140). There is a good reason for these changes, for the god has now to traverse a region where there is not sufficient water to float his boat or to permit of its being towed; moreover, his way is blocked by a monster serpent called NEHA-HRA, which lies on a sand bank 450 cubits long. ^[1] In other words, the Boat of AFU-RA has arrived at a region of sandbanks and shallows, where serpents and crocodiles live; but the words of power of Isis, the great sorceress, and of SER, and of the god himself protect him from mishap, and eventually he passes through this division by taking upon himself the form of the serpent MEHEN in which he glides onwards. The region of the Tuat where the serpent APEP or NEHA-HRA lives is called TCHAU, and it is 440 cubits long, and 440 cubits wide; his head and his tail are caught in fetters by SERQET and HER-TESU-F respectively, and these gods have transfixed him to the ground with six huge knives (vol. i., p. 142). When the body of the serpent has been removed, AFU-RA advances, and, passing four goddesses each armed with a knife, arrives at four rectangular buildings. Inside each building (vol. i., p. 144) is a mound of sand, and at each end of each building is the head of a man. These buildings are the tombs wherein the four chief forms of the Sun-god have been buried, the first containing the "Form of TEM," the second the "Form of KHEPERA," the third the "Form of RA," and the fourth the "Form of OSIRIS." The heads which appear at the ends of the tombs are those of the enemies who were slain at the tombs, and were buried in the foundations in order to drive away evil spirits. The texts which refer to these scenes state that the four goddesses join in slaying APEP, that the human heads appear as soon as any one comes to the tombs; and that as soon as they have heard the voice of AFU-RA, and he has gone by, they "eat their own forms," i.e., they disappear until Ra again comes (vol. i., p. 145).

On the right of the Boat of AFU-RA, and facing it, are HORUS, and the twelve gods of the hours, who protect the tombs of Osiris, and assist RA in his journey (vol. i., pp. 154-156); next come twelve goddesses of the hours, who face in the opposite direction, and are entreated to guide "the god who is on the horizon to the beautiful Amentet in peace." Beyond these is the great Crocodile, called ABSHE-AM-TUAT, which is stretched out at full length over the tomb of Osiris; as the Boat of AFU-RA passes it, the god addresses words to Osiris, who for a season puts forth his head, which disappears as soon as the Boat has entered the next DIVISION.

On the left of AFU-RA we have also a number of gods and goddesses who belong to this DIVISION, and among them may be specially noticed the serpent MEHEN, the lord of this region; his body is bent in the form of a canopy, and beneath is the "Flesh of Osiris"

in the form of a god (AFU-ASAR) seated on a throne (vol. i., p. 149). In front of it are a number of the enemies of Osiris, some decapitated by the LYNX-GODDESS, and some in fetters which are held in the hands of the god ANKU (vol. i., pp. 149, 150). Beyond these are three living souls, representatives of the blessed dead in this region, and the "Flesh of Tem" (AFU-TEM) in the form of a god seated on the back of a huge serpent resembling MEHEN (Vol. i., p. 151).

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

This statement is found in the SUMMARY.

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