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The Egyptian Heaven and Hell

By E. A. Wallis Budge

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The Gate Of Am-netu-f The Eleventh Division of the Tuat

HAVING passed through the Tenth Division of the Tuat, the boat of the sun arrives at the gateway SHETAT-BESU, which leads to the Eleventh Division, or, as the opening text reads: "This [great] god cometh forth to this gate, this great god entereth through it, and the gods who are therein acclaim the great god." The gateway is like that through which the god passed into the previous Division; at the entrance to the crate proper stands a bearded, mummied form called METES, and at its exit stands a similar form called SHETAU. The corridor is swept by flames of fire, which proceed from the mouths of two uraei, as before. In the space which is usually guarded by a number of gods stand two sceptres, each of which is surmounted by a White Crown; the one on the right is the symbol of OSIRIS, (SAR), and the other of HORUS. Between the sceptres is a line of text, which reads:--"They say to Ra, '[Come] in peace! [Come] in peace! [Come] in peace! [Come] in peace! O thou whose transformations are manifold, thy soul is in heaven, thy body is in the earth. It is thine own command, O great one." The monster serpent which stands on his tail and guards the door is called AM-NETU-F, and the two lines of text which refer to his admission of Ra read:--"He who is over this door openeth to Ra. SAU saith to AM-NETU-F, 'Open thy gate to Ra, unfold thy portal to KHUTI, so that he may illumine the thick darkness, and may send light into the hidden abode.' This gate closeth after the great god hath passed through it, and the gods who are on the battlements wail when they hear it closing upon them."

 

The Gate of the Serpent Am-netu-f.

 

In the middle of this Division we see the boat of the sun being towed on its way by four gods of the Tuat; the god is in the same form as before, and his

 

The Boat of Af-Ra in the Eleventh Division of the Tuat.

 

boat is piloted by SA, who commands, and by HEKA, who steers according to his directions.

The procession in front of the boat of the sun consists of:--

1. A company of nine gods, each holding a huge knife in his right hand, and a sceptre in his left; the first four have jackal heads, and the last five heads of bearded men. These nine beings represent the "company of the gods who slay APEP."

2. The serpent APEP, fettered by five chains which enter the ground; the fetters are further strengthened by small chains, which are linked to the larger ones, and are fastened to the ground by means of pegs with a hook at the top. In an earlier picture we have

 

The Slaughterers of Apep.

seen APEP fettered by Seb, Mest, Hapi, Tuamutef, and Qebhsennuf, who were represented by five gods, but here the figures of the gods are wanting, and it is only the legend "Children of Horus," that tells us the chains represent the gods.

3. Four Apes, each holding up a huge hand and wrist.

4. The goddess of Upper Egypt, wearing the White Crown, and styled AMENTI.

5. The goddess of Lower Egypt, wearing the Red Crown, and called HERIT.

6. The bearded god SEBEKHTI, who holds the emblem of "life" in his right hand, and a sceptre in his left.

Of the gods of the Tuat who tow the boat of Ra it is said 1:--

"The gods of the Tuat say, Behold the coming forth [of Ra] from Ament, and [his] taking up [his] place in the two divisions of Nu, and [his] performance of [his] transformations on the two hands of Nu. This god doth not enter into the height of heaven,

[but] he openeth [a way through] the Tuat into the height of heaven by his transformations which are in Nu. Now, what openeth the Tuat into Nut (i.e., the sky) are the two hands of AMEN-REN-F (i.e., he whose name is hidden). He existeth in the thick darkness, and light appeareth [there] from the starry night.'"

Of the nine gods with knives and sceptres it is said:--

"Those who are in this scene [with] their weapons in their hand take their knives and hack [with them] at Apep; they make gashes in him and slaughter him, and they drive stakes whereby to fetter him in the regions which are in the upper height. The fetters of the REBEL are in the hands of the Children of Horus, who stand threateningly by this god with their chains between their fingers. This god reckoneth up his members after he whose arms are hidden hath opened [the door] to make a way for Ra."

Of the serpent Apep it is-said:--

"The Children of Horus grasp firmly this serpent which is in this picture, and in this picture they rest in Nut (i.e., the sky). They heap their fetters upon him, and whilst his folds (?) are in the sky his poison drops down from him into Amentet."

Of the four apes holding hands it is said:--

"It is those who are in this picture who make ready for Ra, a way into the eastern horizon of heaven,, and they lead the way for the god who hath created them with their hands, [standing] two on the right hand and two on the left in the double atert of this god; then they come forth after him, and sing praises to his soul when it looketh upon them, and they stablish his Disk."

Of the three remaining deities it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture turn away SET from this Gate [of the god TUATI. They open its cavern,

 

Apep fettered by the chains of Seb and the Children of Horus.

and stablish the hidden pylons, and their souls remain in the following of Ra]."

In the upper register of this Division are:--

1. Four gods, each holding a disk in his right hand; these are "they who hold light-giving disks."

2. Four gods, each holding a star in his right hand; these are "they who hold stars."

3. Four gods, each holding a sceptre in his left hand; these are "they who come forth."

4. Four ram-headed gods, each holding a sceptre in

 

(Left) The Apes who praise Ra.     (Right) Amenti.     Herit.     Sebekhti.

 

his left hand; their names are BA, KHNEMU, PENTER, and TENT.

5. Four hawk-headed gods, each holding a sceptre in his left hand; these are called HORUS, ASHEMTH, SEPT, and AMMI-UAA-F.

6. Eight female figures, each seated on a seat formed by a uraeus with its body coiled up, and holding a star in her left hand; these are called "the protecting hours."

7. A crocodile-headed god called SEBEK-RA, who grasps a fold of a serpent that stands on its tail in his right hand, and a sceptre in his left.

 

 

The gods who bring Disks and Stars for Ra.

Of the four gods bearing disks it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture carry the disk of Ra, and it is they who make a way through the Tuat and the height of heaven by means of this image which is in their hands. They utter words to the Pylon of Akert so that Ra may set himself in the body of Nut (i.e., the sky)."

Of the four gods bearing stars it is said:--

 

The gods who prepare the Offerings and Shrine of Ra.

"Those who are in this picture carry stars, and when the two arms of Nu embrace Ra they and their stars shout hymns of praise, and they journey on with him to the height of heaven, and they take up their places in the body of Nut."

Of the four gods bearing sceptres it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture [having] their sceptres in their hands, are they who stablish the domains of this god in the sky, and they have their thrones in accordance with the command of Ra."

Of the four ram-headed gods it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture [having] their sceptres in their hands, are they who decree [the making ready] of the offerings of the gods [from] the bread of heaven, and it is they who make to come forth celestial water when as yet Ra hath not emerged in Nu."

Of the four hawk-headed gods it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture [having] their sceptres in their hands, are they who stablish the shrine [in the boat of Ra], and they lay their hands (on the body of the double boat of the god after it hath appeared from out of the gate of Sma, and they place the paddles [of the boat] in Nut, when the Hour which presideth over it (i.e., the boat) cometh into being, and the Hour [which hath guided it] goeth to rest."

Of the goddesses who are seated on uraei it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture with their serpents under them, and their hands holding stars, come forth from the two ATERT of this great god, four to the East and four to the West; it is they who call 'the Spirits of the East, and they sing hymns to this god, and they praise him after his appearance, and SETTI cometh forth in his forms. It is they who guide and transport those who are in the boat of this great god."

There is no description of the crocodile-headed god Sebek-Ra in the text.

In the lower register are:--

1. Four gods, each wearing the Crown of the South; these are the "Kings of the South in chief."

 

The goddesses of the Aterti.

2. Four bearded gods, "the WEEPERS."

3. Four gods, each wearing a Crown of the North; these are the KHNEMIU.

4. Four bearded gods, the RENENIU, i.e., "those who give names."

5. Four females, each wearing the Crown of the South; these are the "Queens of the South,"

6. Four females, each wearing the Crown of the North; these are, presumably, the "Queens of the North;" these are the KHNEMUT.

7. Four females, without crowns.

8. Four bearded gods, with their backs slightly bowed; these are the gods who praise Ra.

9. A cat-headed god called MATI.

 

(Left) The Stablishers of the White Crown.     (Right) The Four Weepers.

Of the gods wearing the White Crown it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture are they who stablish the White Crown on the gods who follow Ra; they themselves remain in the Tuat, but their souls go forward and stand at [this] gate."

Of the four Weepers it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture in this gate make lamentation for Osiris after Ra hath made his appearance from Ament; their souls go forward in his train, but they themselves follow after Osiris."

Of the four gods wearing the Red Crown it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture are those who unite themselves to Ra, and they make his births to come

 

(Left) The Stablishers of the Red Crown.     (Right) The gods who give names.

to pass in the earth; their souls go forward in his train, but their bodies remain in their places (or, seats)."

Of the four RENENIU it is said:--

"[Those who are in this picture are they who give the name to Ra, and they magnify the names of all his forms; their souls go forward in his following, but their bodies remain in their places (or, seats)."] 1

Of the four goddesses wearing the White Crown it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture are they who make

 

Goddesses who stablish the White and Red Crowns.

 

MAAT to advance, and who make it to be stablished in the shrine of Ra when Ra taketh up his position in Nut; their souls pass onwards in his following but their bodies remain in their places."

Of the four goddesses wearing the Red Crown it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture are they who stablish time, and they make to come into being the years for those who keep ward over the condemned ones in the Tuat and over those who have their life in heaven; they follow in the train of this great god."

 

(Left) Goddesses who drive away Set. (Center) Gods who adore and praise Ra. (far Right) Mati.

Of the four females who are without crowns it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture in [this] gate make lamentation and tear their hair in the presence of this great god in Amentet; they make SET to withdraw from this pylon, and they do not enter into the height of heaven."

Of the four gods with their backs bowed it is said:--

"Those who are in this picture make adoration to Ra and sing praises unto him, and in their place in the Tuat they hymn those gods who are in the Tuat, and who keep guard over the Hidden Door. [They remain in their places."] 1

["The warder of the door of this Circle remaineth in his place."] 1

Footnotes

285:1 Supplied from Champollion, Monuments, tom. ii., p. 537.

298:1 Supplied from the tomb of Rameses VI.

300:1 Supplied from the tomb of Rameses VI.