The Egyptian Heaven and Hell
by E. A. Wallis Budge | 1905 | 45,653 words
The book “Egyptian Heaven and Hell” represents the third volume by E.A. Wallis Budge that explores the ancient Egyptian texts concerning the afterlife, known as the “Books of the Tuat”. These texts providing a detailed exposition of the Egyptian underworld and serve as guides for the dead, detailing the journey of souls to the kingdom of Osiris and...
Kingdom of Osiris According to the Book Am-Tuat
[Full title: Ninth Division of the Tuat. I. Kingdom of Osiris According to the Book Am-Tuat]
The name of this DIVISION, or HOUR, Or CITY, is BEST-ARU-ANKHET-KHEPERU, the Gate is called SAA-EM-KEB, and its Hour-goddess is TUATET-MAKETET-EN-NEB-S. The Boat of AFU-RA now enters the last of the four DIVISIONS of the Kingdom of Osiris, and moves without the aid of towing. Immediately in front of it are twelve sailor-gods, each grasping a short paddle with both hands; they appear to have been depicted in front of the Boat because there was no room for them in it. The god is still under the form of MEHEN, and is still passing over the secret path of AMENTET, and his Sailors sing to him, and as they do so they scatter water from the stream with their paddles on the Spirits who dwell in this City (vol. i., pp. 189-191). In front of these are three deities, seated on baskets, and the god HETEP-NETERU-TUAT; they accompany the Boat of AFU-RA, and it is their duty to provide food, or offerings, for the gods who are in the DIVISION. On the right of the path of the god are twelve uraei, who lighten the darkness by means of the fire which they pour out from their mouths: they rest upon objects which suggest that they have received their places in this DIVISION because all the appointed funeral rites and ceremonies were duly performed for them (vol. i., p. 201). In front of these are the nine gods who represent the field-labourers in the Tuat (vol. i., pp. 204, 205), and each holds a heavy stick, similar to that which the peasants in Egypt have always carried to protect themselves. Their "ganger" is HERU-HER-SHE-TUAT, i.e., "He who is over the lakes (or sand) in the Tuat."
On the left of the path of the god are twelve gods, each of whom is seated on a weaving instrument (vol. i., p. 195), and twelve goddesses (vol. i., p. 199); the gods are the TCHATCHA, or "Great Chiefs" of Osiris, and their duty is to avenge Osiris each day, and to overthrow the enemies of Osiris, and the goddesses spring into existence when they hear the god’s voice, and sing praises to Osiris each day.
Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘Kingdom of Osiris According to the Book Am-Tuat’. Further sources in the context of Egypt might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:
Osiris, Mehen, Tuat, Amentet, Funeral rite, Great Chief, Ninth Division, Secret path, Field labourer, Kingdom of Osiris, Enemies of Osiris, Uraei, Twelve goddesses, Twelve uraei, Tchatcha, Book AM-TUAT, AFU-RA, SAA-EM-KEB, BEST-ARU-ANKHET-KHEPERU, TUATET-MAKETET-EN-NEB-S, HETEP-NETERU-TUAT, NINTH DIVISION of the Tuat, Secret path of Amentet. Other Egypt Concepts:
