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The Egyptian Heaven and Hell

By E. A. Wallis Budge

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The Gate Of Set-em-maat-f The Sixth Division Of The Tuat--continued.

THE pylon which gives access to the SIXTH DIVISION of the Tuat has already been described. The monster serpent which stands on his tail and guards the gateway is called SET-EM-MAAT-F, and the two lines of text which refer to his admission of Ra read:--

"He who is over this door openeth to Ra. SA saith to SET-EM-MAAT-F:--'Open thy gate to Ra, unfold thy doors to KHUTI, that he may send light into the thick darkness, and may make his radiance illumine the hidden habitation.' This door is shut after this great god hath passed through it, and there is lamentation to those who are in this gateway when they hear this door close upon them".

The scenes and texts which illustrate the Sixth Division of the Tuat cannot be obtained in a complete state from the sarcophagus of Seti I., and recourse must therefore be had to other documents. In the following pages, however, the fragments of the texts and scenes from the sarcophagus are first given, and these are followed by the complete texts as they are found in the tomb of Rameses VI., as published by Monsieur E. Lefébure in the third volume of the Mémoires of the French Archæological Mission at Cairo.

The fragmentary texts and scenes from the sarcophagus of Seti I. may be thus described:--

In the middle register are:--

1. Two of the four gods of the Tuat whose duty it is to tow along the boat of the Sun through this Division.

 

The Serpent Set-em-maat-f.

 

2. The god TEM, in the form of an aged man, with bent shoulders, and leaning on a staff.

3. The jackal-headed standard called Ra, to which are tied two "enemies," who probably represent the damned.

4. The two UTCHATS, which appear to be keeping watch on the "enemies."

5. The jackal-headed standard called TEM, with two "enemies" tied to it.

6. A mummied form, with projecting elbows, called AFAT.

7. The jackal-headed standard called KHEPER, with two "enemies" tied to it.

8. A mummied form, with projecting elbows, called, or MET 1.

9. The jackal-headed standard called SHU, with two "enemies" tied to it.

10. A mummied form, with projecting elbows, called SENT.

11. The jackal-headed standard called SEB, with two "enemies" tied to it.

12. A mummied form, with projecting elbows, called AQA-SA.

13. The jackal-headed standard called SAR, (Osiris). 1

14. A mummied form, with projecting elbows, called AA-KHER (?) 1.

15. The jackal-headed standard called HERU.

16. A god holding a sceptre called SHEF-HRA.

The text which refers to the above-mentioned gods reads:--

 

Fragment of the Sixth Division of the Tuat, from the Cover of the Sarcophagus of Seti I.

 

 

Fragment of the Sixth Division of the Tuat, from the Cover of the Sarcophagus of Seti I.

"[This great god is towed along by the gods in the Tuat, and those who tow Ra along say, 'Rise up, O disk,] . . . . . . . . . . . . god, verily get thee forth to the standards of Seb.' Tem saith unto the standards:--'Keep ward over the enemies, and bind ye fast those who shall be smitten. O ye gods who are behind the standards, and who are in the following of Seb, I give ye the power to bind fast the enemies and to keep ward over the wicked. Let them not go forth from under your hands, let them not slip through your fingers. O enemies, ye are reckoned for slaughter according to the decree which [was given] to you by him that with his body, and created the Tuat by his members(?). He hath passed the decree for you to be punished, and he taketh count of you and what ye do . . . . . . . '"

The upper register is much mutilated on the cover of the sarcophagus of Seti I.; on it we see:--

1. Five upright male figures, each of whom holds a large loaf of bread, with both hands on his head; when the scene was complete these figures were twelve in number, as we learn from the variants published by Champollion, 1and they are called HETEPTI-KHEPERU.

2. Six upright male figures, each of whom holds the feather of Maat with both hands on his head; when the scene was complete these figures were twelve in number, and they are called AUTU-MAAMU-KHERU-MAAT 2.

The text which remains reads:--

"[These are they who have offered up incense to the

 

Fragment of the Cover of the Sarcophagus of Seti I. in the British Museum.

gods, and whose doubles have been washed, maat, they have been reckoned up and they are maat in the presence of the great god, who destroyeth iniquities. Osiris saith unto them:--'Ye are maat of maat. Be ye at peace [because of what] ye have done, O ye who are in the forms of those who are in my following, and- who dwell in the house of him whose souls are holy. Live ye on what ye live there, and have the mastery over the cool waters which are in your Lake . . . . .'"

 

A few years ago I purchased from a native at Luxor a fragment of the cover of the sarcophagus of Seti I. (see p. 176); this is now in the British Museum (No. 29,948), and it gives the following:--

1. Three male figures, each of which bears a loaf on his head.

2. The following fragmentary text: "Their bread cakes are ordered for "them by their gods; their kau are in their hands, and they enter into their abodes at the pylon which destroyeth its gods. The god SAR (Osiris) saith unto them:--'Your bread shall be to you from that which cometh forth from your mouths, O ye HETEPTI-KHEPERU. . . . . .'"

In the lower register are:--

1. Five male figures, who are occupied in tending very large ears of corn; when the scene was complete these figures were twelve in number, and they were called, "Those who work about the plants of grain in the fields of the Tuat."

2. A man holding a sickle; he is one of the seven "reapers," of which this section of the scene originally consisted.

The text which relates to those who tend the grain reads:--

"[They perform the works in connection with the grain, and they embrace the god of wheat (NEPRA) which is eaten (?). Their grain becometh glorious in the land through the light of Ra, when he appeareth, and sendeth forth heat, and maketh his way by them. The lord of joy of heart saith unto them:--'Let your grain be glorious, and let the young shoots of your grain germinate, and let your offerings be for Ra] . . . . there . . . . Ra. Let NEPER germinate, and let SAR (Osiris) be the source of food of the gods in "the Tuat . . . . . . . AMENTI . . . . behold, in the fields of the Tuat.' They gather together their grain, and they say unto Ra:--'Let the fields of the Tuat be green with young plants. May Ra shine upon the members of SAR (Osiris). When thou dost shine the young plants come into being, O great god, thou creator of the grain.' Their offerings of food are of grain, and their drink offerings are of tcheser, and their libations are made with cool water. Offerings are made unto them on the earth of the grain of the fields of the Tuat."

Of the reapers it is said:--

"These are they who have their scythes, and who reap the grain in their fields. Ra saith to them:--'Take ye your scythes, and reap ye your grain, for it is granted to you . . . . . . your habitations, and to join yourselves [to] me in the Circle of the Hidden Forms. Hail to you, O ye reapers!' Their food is of bread, and their drink is of tcheser, and their libations are made with cool water. Offerings are made unto them upon earth as being those who hold scythes in the fields of the Tuat."

The text which describes the middle register of the Sixth Division as it appears in the tomb of Rameses VI. reads:

"This great god is being towed along by the gods of the Tuat, and those who tow Ra along say:--'Be exalted, O Aten (i.e., Disk), who art at the head of . . . . . the Light, the head . . . . Look ye at the abodes of the Tuat. Your eyes are to you, O gods, observe ye Ra, the Power in Akert. This great god decreeth your destinies. This great god cometh forth to the standards of Seb, which reckon up the enemies after the weighing of words in Amentet. Behold, Sa saith unto this god [when] he cometh forth to the standards of Seb . . . . . . the head of Ra, the great god . . . . verily, get thee forth to the standards of Seb. Tem saith unto the standards:--'Keep ward over the enemies, and bind ye fast those who are to be smitten. O ye gods who are in the following of the standards, and who are in the following of Seb, I give ye power to bind fast the enemies, and to keep ward over the wicked (or, those who are to be smitten). Let them not come forth from under your hands, let them not slip through your fingers. O ye enemies, ye are doomed to slaughter, according to the decree of Ra concerning you. His person is the body of Akert, and he hath created the Tuat of his frame work. He hath issued the decree for you to be put into restraint, he hath ordered your doom which shall be wrought upon you in the great hall of Ra . . . . . . . the gods weep [and] lament, he setteth the gods to ward you, and the enemies and those who are to be smitten in the Tuat are condemned to these standards."'

In the upper register are twelve gods, each of whom stands upright, and has the feather of Maat on his head, and twelve gods, each of whom stands upright, and has a large loaf on his head. These gods are described as "MAATI gods bearing Maat," and the HETEPTIU gods bearing provisions. The text reads:--

"Offerings of incense to their gods, libations of cool water to their doubles, and fillings of the mouth . . . . . . by his sustenance afterwards by their offerings of drink and their offerings of bread. Come forth to them their gods and their doubles. Their hands are to them, and they go to their cakes through the pylon of . . . . . and to its gods. SAR saith unto them:--'Your bread is to you, [according to] your utterances, and the peace cakes of Kheper, and loaves of bread. Ye shall have the mastery over your legs, and ye shall have satisfaction in your hearts, and your gods shall present unto you your khenfu cakes and unto your doubles their provisions, which consist of bread, and their drink, which shall be of tcheser ale, and their libations shall be of cool water, and offerings shall be made unto them upon earth as the lord[s] of offerings in Amentet. For they have done what was right whilst they were upon earth, and they have fought on behalf of their god, and they shall be called to the enjoyment of the land of the House of Life with maat. That which is theirs by right shall be allotted to them in the presence of the Great God, who doeth away iniquity.' Then shall Osiris say unto them:--'Maat be to you, O ye MAAT gods, and peace be unto you by reason of what ye have done in following after me, O dwellers in the House the soul of which is holy. Ye shall live your life upon that whereupon those who live there feed, and ye shall have dominion over the cool waters of your land. I have decreed for you that ye shall have your being in all of it with maat, and without sin (or, defects).' Their bread shall be maat cakes, their drink shall be of wine, and their libations shall be of cool water. And there shall be offered unto them upon earth the offerings which must be made from their land."

In the lower register are the figures of twelve men, each of whom tends a monster ear of corn (?), or a tree, under the superintendence of a god who leans on a staff, and a group of reapers, each holding a sickle.

The text, which is mutilated in places, reads:

"They perform. their work in connection with the grain, and they embrace (i.e., cultivate) the divine grain (or, NEPRA), and the spirits feed upon their grain in the land of the god of light (KHU), who cometh forth and passeth by them, and [NEB-AUT-AB, i.e., the Lord of joy of heart, saith unto them:--'Let your grain be glorious], and let your ears of wheat germinate, and let your offerings be for Ra. 'Your khenfu cakes are in the Tuat, your offerings are to you, the offerings which are, yours by maat are decreed (?) for you. Herbs . . . . . . among you. SAR germinate . . . . . and they say unto Ra:--'Let plants spring up in the Fields of the Tuat, and let Ra shine upon the members of SAR. When thou dost shine the young plants come into being, O great god, thou creator of the Egg.' Their food offerings are of grain, their drink is of tcheser ale, and their libations are made with cool water. Offerings are made unto them upon earth of the grain from the Fields of the Tuat."

Of the reapers it is said:--

"These are they who have their sickles and who reap the grain in their Field. Ra saith unto them:--'Take ye your sickles, and reap ye your grain, for it is granted unto you . . . . . . your habitations, and to join yourselves to the Circle of the Hidden of Forms. Hail to you, O ye reapers!' Their food is of bread-cakes, and their drink is of tcheser ale, and their libations are made with cool water. Offerings are made unto them upon earth as being those who reap the grain in the Fields of the Tuat."

Footnotes

170:1 The names are supplied from Champollion, Notices, p. 502.

171:1 The names are supplied from Champollion, Notices, p. 502.

175:1 Notices, ii., p. 501.

175:2 Supplied from Champollion, Notices, ii., p. 502.