The Book of Am-Tuat
"THE WRITINGS AND THE DRAWINGS OF THE HIDDEN PALACE WHICH APPERTAIN TO THE
SOULS, AND THE GODS, AND THE SHADOWS, AND THE SPIRITS, WHICH COMPOSE THE
BEGINNING OF THE HORN OF AMENT, OF THE HORIZON OF AMENT, [WHICH IS] THE
UTMOST BOUNDARY OF THE THICK DARKNESS OF THE HORIZON OF AMENTET,
CONTAINING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SOULS OF THE TUAT, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF
THE SECRET SOULS, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE DOORS AND THE WAYS THROUGH
AND ON WHICH THE GREAT GOD JOURNEYETH, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF . . . . . . . ., AND
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOURS AND OF THEIR GODS, AND...
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The Book of Am-Tuat
by E. A. Wallis Budge
London; Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co.
[1905]
Scanned at Sacred-texts.com, May 2003. J.B. Hare, Redactor. This text is in the public domain. These files may be used for any
non-commercial purpose, provided this notice of attribution is left intact.
Next: Note
Sacred Texts Egypt EHH Index
Vol. I Vol. II Vol. III
The Book of Am-Tuat
by E. A. Wallis Budge
[1905]
This book is an Ancient Egyptian cosmological treatise which describes the Tuat, the underworld that the
boat of the Sun God, Ra, traverses during the night hours. Each chapter deals with one of the twelve
hours of the night. A hallucinogenic travelogue of the netherworld, this extensively illustrated book
depicts hundreds of gods and goddesses that appear nowhere else in the literature.
Title Page
Note
Contents
The Book Am-Tuat: the Title of the Work
Chapter I: The First Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Net-Ra
Chapter II: The Second Division of the Tuat, Which is Called Urnes
Chapter III: The Third Division Of The Tuat, Which Is Called Net-Neb-Ua-Kheper-Aut
Chapter IV: The Fourth Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Ankhet-Kheperu
Chapter V: The Fifth Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Ament
Chapter VI. The Sixth Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Metchet-Mu-Nebt-Tuat.
Chapter VII. The Seventh Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Thephet-Asar
Chapter VIII. The Eighth Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Tebat-Neteru-s
Chapter IX. The Ninth Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Best-Aru-Ankhet-Kheperu
Chapter X. The Tenth Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Metet-Qa-Utchebu
Chapter XI. The Eleventh Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Re-En-Qerert-Apt-Khatu
Chapter XII. The Twelfth Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Then-Neteru
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p. 1
THE BOOK AM-TUAT
THE TITLE OF THE WORK
"THE WRITINGS AND THE DRAWINGS OF THE HIDDEN PALACE WHICH APPERTAIN TO THE
SOULS, AND THE GODS, AND THE SHADOWS, AND THE SPIRITS, WHICH COMPOSE THE
BEGINNING OF THE HORN OF AMENT, OF THE HORIZON OF AMENT, [WHICH IS] THE
UTMOST BOUNDARY OF THE THICK DARKNESS OF THE HORIZON OF AMENTET,
CONTAINING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SOULS OF THE TUAT, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF
THE SECRET SOULS, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE DOORS AND THE WAYS THROUGH
AND ON WHICH THE GREAT GOD JOURNEYETH, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF . . . . . . . ., AND
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOURS AND OF THEIR GODS, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE
JOURNEYINGS OF THE HOURS AND OF THEIR GODS, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE
FORMULAE [WHICH THEY SAY] TO RA, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPEECHES WHICH
HE MAKETH
p. 2
TO THEM, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GODS WHO PRAISE HIM AND OF THOSE WHO
EFFECT DESTRUCTION."
Next: Chapter I: The First Division of the Tuat, Which Is Called Net-Ra
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p. 3
CHAPTER I.
THE FIRST DIVISION OF THE TUAT, WHICH IS CALLED NET-RA.
IN the scene that illustrates the FIRST DIVISION of the Tuat, which is passed through by the Sun-god
during the FIRST HOUR of the night, we see that the centre of the middle section is divided lengthwise
into
Click to view
(Left) The Boat of Af, the dead Sun-god. (Right) Maati goddesses. Neken-f.
two parts by a river which flows along it. In the upper part is the boat of the dead Sun-god AF, who is in
the form of a rain-headed man; he wears a disk upon his head, and stands within a shrine in the SEKTET
boat, i.e., the boat in which the god travels
p. 4
from noon to sunset. In front of the shrine in the boat stand the three deities, AP-UAT, SA, and the
"Lady of the Boat," who wears on her head a disk and horns. Behind the shrine stand five gods, each
having the head of a man; the names of the first four are HERU-HEKENU, KA-SHU, i.e., the "double of
Shu," NEHES, i.e., the "Look-out," and HU, and the fifth is the Steersman KHERP. On the high prow of
the Sektet boat hangs an object which is said to be a carpet by some, and a reed mat by others, and on
the side, near the curve of the prow, is an utchat. In front of the boat march:--
1. The two goddesses MAAT, the one representing the South of Egypt, and the other the North.
2. The god NEKENT-F, who holds a spear, or knife, in his left hand.
3. The god KHENTI AMENTET, bearded, and in mummy form, and wearing the White Crown and the
Menat.
4. The god SEKHET, or as it is written here SEKHMET, lioness-headed.
5. The god SEHETCH-UR, ram-headed.
6. Four Terms, the first of which is called UT-METU-RA,
p. 5
the second UT-METU-TEM, the third UT-METU-KHEPERA, and the fourth UT-METU-ASAR.
7. The leader of the company, who is called TCHA-UNNUT; by his side is a serpent, called SA (?), that
stands on his tail.
Click to view
.
The gods Khenti-Amentet, Sekhet, Sebeteh-ur, the Four-Terms, and Teha-Unnut
This scene is explained by the horizontal line of inscription written above it, and the hieroglyphic text,
based on the editions of Lefébure and Champollion, reads:--
p. 6
"The name of this Field is 'MAATI.' This god arriveth in the SEKTET BOAT, he maketh a way through
the Court of this city, which is two hundred and twenty measures in length, which he travelleth through
to URNES. He passeth through the water, which is three hundred measures in extent, and he bestoweth
the fields upon the gods who follow him. NET-RA is the name of this Field, ARNEBAUI is the name of
the guardian [of this Field]. This god beginneth to declare in this region the words which perform the
destinies (?) of those who are in the Tuat."
In the lower part of the middle section of the scene we have another boat, in the centre. of which is a
beetle; on one side of the beetle is a god with his knees in the direction of the prow of the boat, but
having his head turned behind him and his hands raised in adoration of the beetle, and on the other is a
god who also has his hands raised in adoration of the same object. The legend reads "the coming into
being of Osiris"; as the boat has
p. 7
no reed mat or carpet hanging from the prow, we may assume that it is intended to represent the Atet or
Matet Boat, i.e., the boat in which the Sun-god travelled over the sky from sunrise to noon.
Click to view
.
The Boat of the Birth of Osiris, with serpents and gods
[paragraph continues] In
front of the boat glide three serpents, which are called SEK-RE, SEFA, and NEPEN,
and in front of these march four man-headed
Click to view
.
Gods in the procession of the Boat of the Birth of Osiris
gods and two hawk-headed gods, each with a serpent in his left hand, a god called NABTI, who holds a
crook in each hand, NET, or NEITH, goddess
p. 8
of the South, NET, or NEITH, goddess of the North, and the goat goddess ARTET. The two
hawk-headed gods are called TCHATUI and METI, and the four following gods ABENTI, BENBETI,
SEKHTI, and SEKHET (?).
The explanation of this scene is given by the horizontal line of hieroglyphic text written above it, which
reads:--
"[The god cometh to] this Court, he passeth through it in the form of a ram, and he maketh his
transformations therein. After he hath passed through this Court, the dead who are in his following do
not [go with him], but they remain in this Court, and he speaketh
p. 9
words unto the gods who are therein. If copies of these things be made according to the ordinances of
the hidden house, and after the manner of that which is ordered in the hidden house, they shall act as
magical protectors to the man who maketh them."
In the upper register are the following:--
I. Nine apes, who are described as "the gods who open the gates to the Great Soul," Their names are:--1.
UN-TA, 2. BA-TA, 3. MAA-EN-RA, 4. ABTA, 5. ABABEN, 6. AKEN-AB, 7. BENTH, 8. AFA, 9.
TCHEHTCHEH.
II. Twelve divine beings, who are. described as the "goddesses who unfold the portals in the earth," Their
names are:--1. QAT-A, 2. NEBT-MEKET, 3. SEKHIT, 4. AMENT-URT,
p. 10
[paragraph continues] 5.
SHEFTU, 6. REN-THETHEN, 7. HEKENT-EM-SA-S, 8. QAT-EM-KHU-S, 9.
SEKHET-EM-KHEFIU-S, 10. HUIT, 11. HUNT, 12. NEBT-ANKH.
Click to view
.
(Left) The nine Ape-warders. ( ight) The twelve goddesses of the gates
R
Each goddess stands with her arms hanging by her sides.
p. 11
III. Nine seated gods, each with his hands raised in adoration of Ra; they are called the "gods who praise
Ra." The first three are man-headed, and are called HETCH-A, MAA-A, and HES-A, the second three
are jackal-headed, and are called NEB-TA-TESHER, AP-UAT, and AP-SEKHEMTI, the third three are
crocodile-headed, and are called TCHAT-TUAT, SEKI, and SEKHEM-HRA.
IV. Twelve divine beings, in the form of women, who are described as "the goddesses who guide the
great god." Their names are:--1. TENTENIT, 2. SBAI, 3. MAT-NEFERU-NEB-SET, 4.
KHESEFET-SMATET, 5. KHUAI, 6. MAKET-ARI-S, 7. URT-AMT-TUAT, 8. HER-AB-UAA-SET,
p. 12
[paragraph continues] 9.
MESPERIT, 10. USHEM-HAT-KHEFTIU-S, 11. SHESET-KERH-MAKET-NEB-S,
12. TESET-TESHERU,
Click to view
.
(Left) The nine praisers of Ra. (Right) The twelve goddesses who guide Ra
In the lower register are the following:--
1. Nine seated apes, who are described as the "gods
p. 13
who sing to Ra as he entereth into the Tuat," Their names are:--1. AM-KAR, 2. KHENTI-SHE-F, 3.
HEN, 4. HEKEN-EM-BEN-F. 5,6 . . . . . . . 7. HETHTI, 8. PA-THETH, 9 . . . . . . . .
Click to view
.
(Left) The nine singing apes. (Right) The twelve light-giving uraei
II. Twelve serpents, who throw fire forth from their mouths, and are described as "those who make light
p. 14
the darkness in the Tuat." Their names are:--1. BESIT, 2. HETEPIT, 3. (illegible). 4. KHUT-MU, 5.
HESEQ-KHEFTI-SET, 6. NEFERT-KHA, 7. MERT-NESER, 8. BEHENT, 9. AP-SHE, 10. NESERT, 11.
AP-AST, 12. SHENIT.
III. Nine man-headed gods, with their hands raised in adoration, who are described as the "gods who
praise [RA], the lord of the company of the gods," Their names are:--
1. KA-TUAT, 2. HETEM-AB, 3. ARA, 4. AAU, 5. HEMHEM, 6. KA-NETERU, 7. TUATI, 8.
HEKENNU-RA, 9. AA-ATER.
p. 15
IV. Twelve goddesses, with their arms hanging by their sides, who are described as "those who give
praises to RA as he passeth over URNES," Their names are:--1. MAA-NETER-S, 2. ART-NETER-S, 3.
HEKENT, 4. NET, 5. APERT-RE,
Click to view
(Left) The nine praisers of RA. (Right) The twelve goddesses who sing to RA.
6. AB, 7. NEBT-HET, 8. HRA-SENI, 9. TEFNUT, 10. NUTET, 11. AMENT, 12. AST.
p. 16
The Address which the Sun-god makes to the gods in the First Division of the Tuat reads: 1--
p. 17 p. 18
The Majesty of this god standeth up after he hath taken up his position in this Court, and he addresseth
words to the gods who are therein, saying, "Open ye to me your doors, and let me come into your Courts!
Give ye light unto me, and make ye yourselves guides to me, O ye who came into being, from my
members, my word hath gone forth to you. Ye are made of my bodies, I have made you, having
fashioned you of my soul, I have created you, I have made you by means
p. 19
of my enchantments, [and] I have come to avenge myself the blood of my members which have risen up
against me, and I will bring to destruction that which hath been made for it. I will make perfect with the .
. . . . . of my forms Osiris Khenti Amenti. Open to me the doors with your hands, O ye Apes, unfold to
me the portals of the Courts, O ye Apes, [and welcome] the gods (or, goddesses) who have come into
being from my divine Souls, come ye into being, come ye into being for(?) KHEPERA, O ye who have
your being at the head of the Tuat. Stand ye up, in URNES, and stablish ye yourselves on the secret
banks thereof, and work ye for the gods of Tuat in the Court which ye guard, possess ye your plans in
your seats, in your domains and in your fields."
The gods of this Court say unto Ra, "O great god, [the doors] are opened to thee, and the portals of the
secret Ament are thrown open before thee, the doors of Nut the great are thrown wide open, illumine
thou the darkness of night (or, thick darkness), provide for that which is in the place of destruction, and
approach thou in thy name of Ra the place where is OSIRIS KHENTI AMENTI. There is a shout of joy
to Ra at the entrance to the doors of the earth (?). Praise be to thee and make thou perfect the light, and
enter thou [in through the habitations] of the Great Country. The Apes ( ambenti) open the doors to thee,
the Apes (amhetetu ) unfold to thee the portals, the serpents sing, and exalt thee, and the divine serpents
p. 20
lighten thy darkness for thee . . . . . . . O Ra, the goddess of the hour cometh to thee, the two SOUL
GODDESSES tow thee along in thy form, and thou takest up thy position on the ground of the Field of
[this] land. Thou hast taken possession of the night, and thou wilt bring in the day, and [thou] dost
likewise make long the hours, and thy boat cometh to rest. Thou seizest the grain of the god HENBET in
thy secret place (?) NET. Thou openest NET-RA, "thou uncoverest the god TCHEBA, the uraeus
goddesses (neterit) of URNES acclaim thee, the uraeus goddesses (nehenuit ) ascribe praise to thee, thy
word is maat against thine enemies, thou givest tribulations to those who are condemned."
The Majesty of this god uttereth words after he hath come forth into this Court, he doeth battle at the
fortifications thereof, the doors of this [Court] are strong, saying, "Shut [your doors] by your bolts. Come
ye to me, advance ye to me, make ye your way [to me], and ye shall abide in your place; take ye up your
stand on the banks of the stream [URNES]." This great god passeth them by, and they (i.e., the gods) wail
when he hath gone by them in the FIELD OF URNES. [The goddess of] the hour who guideth [this great
god] through this Court is "USHEM-HAT-KHEFTIU-NU-RA,"
Footnotes
16:1 See Léfebure, op. cit. , part iv., pl. 28, and Description de l'Égypte , tom. v., pl. 41, no. 5.
Next: Chapter II: The Second Division of the Tuat, Which is Called Urnes
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p. 21
CHAPTER II.
THE SECOND DIVISION OF THE TUAT, WHICH IS CALLED URNES.
IN the Scene that illustrates the SECOND DIVISION of the Tuat, which is passed through by the
Sun-god
Click to view
.
The Boat of Af in the Second Hour
during the SECOND HOUR of the night, the Boat of the Ram-headed god AF is seen making its way
along the
p. 22
stream which flows, as before, through the division lengthwise; the crew consists of the same gods, and
they occupy the same positions in the boat as they did in the First Division. It is, however, important to
notice that immediately in front of Ap-uat we see two serpents, which are called Isis and Nephthys
respectively, occupying the front of the boat. No carpet or mat hangs over the bows of the boat, and the
utchat is not represented on its side; the boat moves over the waters by means of some power exerted
either by itself or by some of the gods who stand in it. In front of the boat of AF the way is led by a
procession of four boats, which are moved, presumably, by the same power which moves the boat of Ra.
The FIRST BOAT has ends which terminate in bearded human heads, and its celestial and solar
character is attested by the sign for "heaven," and the utchat, with which its sides are ornamented.
The object of this boat is to support the disk of the full moon, which rests within a crescent upon a
support divided into thirteen sections, each typifying a day; thus the full moon as it appears on the
fourteenth day of the month is here represented. By the disk kneels a god who is "supporting Maat,"
which is symbolized by a feather, and is described by the word MAAT written between it and the support
of the moon's disk. In the mutilated text above the
p. 23
boat it is said that "this great god approacheth this region, and he is conveyed along in the boats of the
earth, by means of their . . . . ., and he paddleth along through this Field and uttereth words,"
Click to view
The Boat of the Full Moon.
The name of the fore part of the boat appears to be URER, and in front of the boat is written "Chief of
the gods of the Tuat;"
p. 24
the hieroglyphics above the full moon read , and those above the stern of the boat
read, "Field of him that beareth up URNES."
The ends of the SECOND BOAT likewise terminate in
Click to view
The Boat of the goddess Hathor.
bearded human heads, but each is surmounted by a pair of plumes. In the centre of the boat, between
two goddesses, stands a huge sistrum, which is the symbol of the goddess Hathor, and indicates that the
boat is that of HATHOR, or of HATHOR-ISIS. In the fore part of the boat is a beetle, which is described
as "This great god NEPER,"
p. 25
[paragraph continues] Above the goddess to the left of the sistrum are written the words, "their boats send
forth their words," over the plumed head in front is written and over that at the
other end of the boat, "Osiris crieth to it."
Click to view
The Boat of the Lizard-god.
On the side of the boat are the signs and .
The prow of the THIRD BOAT is surmounted by a crown of the South, and the stern by a crown of the
North, and between the two sceptres, which symbolize the gods ANPU and AP-UAT, i.e., the
jackal-headed
p. 26
gods of the South and North, is a huge lizard, from the back of which spring the head of Osiris and a
White Crown. On the side of the boat are the signs and . Above the crown of the North is
the legend U-UR, which, however, probably refers to the sceptre near it; above the lizard we have
Click to view
The Boat of the Grain-god Neper.
the foremost sceptre , and immediately in front is and
under the front of the boat is .
The prow and stern of the FOURTH BOAT terminate in heads of uraei, each of which is turned towards
the
p. 27
deity who is kneeling in the middle of the boat. In the centre kneels a woman without arms, and before
and behind her stands a man, who is likewise without arms. At each end of the boat grows a plant or,
perhaps, a large ear of wheat, which indicates that the boat is that of the form of Osiris as the god of
vegetation, who is known by the name NEPER. The legend by the ear of corn in the front of the boat
reads, "the boat which conveyeth Neper," and that by the ear in the stern, "collector of herbs and plants,"
The deity in the boat, or the boat itself perhaps, is called HEPT-MENA-F-TUA-UAA-F. This boat is the
boat of the god NEPER, the god of grain, and a form of Osiris as the god of vegetation; it may be noted
that its side has no utchat upon it.
In the upper register are:--
1. A bearded god, with a phallus in the form of a knife, called AST NETCH-T, i.e., "Isis, the avengeress."
2. A god of similar form and attribute called SEB-QENBETI, i.e., "Seb of the two corners.
A ram-headed god, with a similar attribute, called
p. 28
[paragraph continues] KHNEMU QENBETI, "Khnemu of the two corners."
4. An ibis-headed god, with a similar attribute, called TEHUTI-HER-KHENT-F, i.e., "Thoth on his
steps."
5. An ape-headed god, with a similar attribute, called AFU-HER-KHENT-F, i.e., "Afu on his steps."
Click to view
Second Hour. Upper Register. Gods Nos. 1-7.
6. Lioness-headed deity, with a similar attribute, called KETUIT-TENT-BA, i.e., "Cutter of the soul."
All the above gods are in mummied form, and occupy chairs of state.
7. A god standing upright, and holding a kherp sceptre or weapon in his left hand; he is called
p. 29
[paragraph continues] SEKHEM-A-KHEFTIU i.e., "Overcomer of the power of the enemy."
8. A hawk-headed god, with a uraeus on his head, called HERU-TUAT, i.e., "Horus of the Tuat."
9. A god, who holds a knife in his left hand, and has his right raised to strike; he is called
SEBEN-HESQ-KHAIBITU.
Click to view
Second Hour. Upper -Register. Gods Nos. 8-15.
10, 11. Two ape-headed gods, called respectively BENTI and AANA.
12. A god with the head of a hawk and the head of an animal, SET and HERU-UR, who is here called
"He of the two faces."
13, 14. The crook of Osiris,
p. 30
and the upper half of a serpent called MET-EN-ASAR, i.e., "staff of Osiris."
15. The term of Osiris facing a deity with the head of a lioness, who is called SESENT-KHU, i.e.,
"Terrifier of spirits."
16-18. Three goddesses, each of whom has a sceptre in her left hand, and a uraeus on her head; their
names
Click to view
Second Hour. Upper Register. Gods Nos. 16-21.
are:--MEST-S-TCHESES, AMAMA KHEFTIU, and HERT-TUATI.
19-21. The goddesses SEKHET, of Thebes, AM-TCHERU, AMENT-NEFERT and NET-TEPT-ANT.
p. 31
In the lower register are the following:--
1. A god, standing, called NEBAUI,
2-4. Three gods, each of whom has two ears of corn stuck in his hair; these are called BESUA, NEPER,
and TEPU (?), (or, PAN).
5-7. Three gods, each holding an ear of wheat in
Click to view
Second Hour. Lower Register. Gods Nos. 1-8.
his left hand; their names are HETCH-A, AB, and NEPEN.
8. A god, holding a knife in his left hand, called AR-AST-NETER.
9-11. Three gods, seated, in mummy forms. The first has the head of a horned animal, and is called
AMU-AA, i.e., "the Eater of the
p. 32
phallus"; the second has the head of a man, and is called AKHABIT; and the third has the head of a
Jackal, and is called NEBT-TA-TCHESER.
12. The god OSIRIS UN-NEFER, in mummy form, wearing the crown of the South.
13. The god KHUI, who holds in each hand a long lotus-topped sceptre surmounted by a star.
Click to view
Second Hour. Lower Register. Gods Nos. 9-15.
14. The two-headed god (Horus-Set?) called HRA-F-A-F.
15. The god HERU-HEN.
16, 17. Two gods, each holding in his left hand the sign of life inverted; their names are HUN and
HETCHETCHTU.
p. 33
18-20. Three gods, each holding a palm branch; their names are NEHA, (or NAREH), MAKHI, and
RENPITI.
21. A god, who holds a knife in his left hand, and is called AFAU.,
22. A god, holding in his hand the symbol of "year," who is called FA-AR-TRU.
Click to view
Second Hour. Lower Register. Gods Nos. 16-22.
The text referring to the gods in the upper register reads:--
p. 34
"[Those who are in this picture] praise this great god after he hath come forth to them, and behold, it is
their words which lead him to them; they lament when he hath passed onwards, having spoken words to
them. Behold, these gods are they who make the words of those who are upon earth to reach [the
god],and it is they who make souls to approach their forms. Their work consisteth in causing to come
into being the offerings of the night, and in performing the
p. 35
overthrow [of enemies] at their hour. It is they who guard the day, and who bring on the night until this
great god cometh forth from out of the thick darkness to repose in this Court of the eastern horizon of
heaven. They cry out in lamentation to this great god, and they utter wailings for him after he hath passed
by them. Those who know them shall come forth by day, and he shall be able to journey during the night
to the divisions of the great double city."
The texts which describe the duties of the gods in the lower register read:--
p. 36
"[Those who are in this picture give unto this great god the seasons] and the years which are in their
hands. When this great god hath made speech with them, they answer him, and they have life through the
voice of this great god, and their throats draw in breath, for when he crieth to them he ordereth them
what they are to do, and he appointeth to them green herbs in abundance in their field. And they supply
with the green herbs of URNES the gods who are in the following of Ra, and they make offerings of
water to the spirits by the command of this great god, and they kindle flames of fire in order to burn up
the enemies of Ra, and there is wailing to them, and they lament after this great god hath passed them by.
AM-NEBAUI is the guardian of this Field; whosoever knoweth [this] is in the condition of a spirit
equipped with [words of power], and [the gods] protect [him]."
p. 37
The five lines of text which contain the address of the gods to Ra, and the answer of the god, read:--
p. 38 p. 39 p. 40
The gods of the Tuat speak to this great god as he entereth in with understanding to the boundary, and he
is borne over NET-RA into URNES, saying, "Hail, thou who risest as a Mighty Soul (KHA-BA-AA), who
hast received [the things which belong to] the Tuat, AF, thou guardian of heaven . . . . . thou livest, O AF,
in TA-TESERT. Come thou, and cast thou thine eye in thy name of Living One, Khepera, at the head of
the Tuat. Traverse thou this Field, O thou who hast might, bind thou with fetters the HAU serpent, and
smite thou the serpent Neha-hra. There is rejoicing in heaven, and there are shouts of gladness upon the
earth at the entrance of thy (literally, his) body. He who shineth sendeth forth light, and the URU gods
give light [at dawn; destroy thou] the
p. 41
darkness which is in AMENT in thy name of SEKHER-SHETAU-UR-A, illumine thou the thick
darkness, O AF. His jawbones are to him, and Ra taketh up his position in AMENT. Thy boat is to thee,
and it is thy right, thou art guided along, and those who convey thee over the water and who dwell in the
earth make calamities to come upon APEP straightway on thy behalf. Thy protector is the Star-God
(SBA), thou art praised and adored, thy soul passeth on, thou goest onward and thy body is equipped
with power, and the regions (?) are opened [to thee]. The doors of the hidden land are opened [before
thee], OSIRIS cometh unto thee, OSIRIS avengeth thee, and thy word is maat against thy enemies. Thou
goest to rest, thou goest to rest in AMENT, and thou comest into being in the form of KHEPERA in the
East."
This great god sendeth forth words to the gods who dwell in the, Tuat and to those who inhabit URNES,
saying, "Open ye your hidden doors so that the god AF may look [upon you] and may throw aside your
darkness, and that ye may draw your water from URNES, and your bread from . . . . . ., and that wind
may come to your nostrils, and that ye may not be destroyed and overcome by your own foul odour, and
that ye may not be choked by your own dung, and that ye may untie and cast away your swathings, and
that ye may lift up your legs and walk upon them, and that ye may stretch out your arms, and that your
souls may not be made to remove themselves from
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you. O ye who live in your forms, and who utter your words of magical power, who are provided with
your swords [whereby] ye may hack in pieces the enemies of Osiris, whose seasons are permanent,
whose years are well established, who pass your state of being [in] your hours, who dwell in your estates,
who have your barley in your bread cakes, who have loaves of bread made of the grain which is yours,
whose word is maat, depart from my boats, and retreat before [my] images, [that I] may vivify anew this
your Field, the Field . . . . . . living ones. [My] soul is among . . . . . . you who have done battle on my
behalf, who have protected me against Apep, who have life through my soul, who have being through my
bodies, who stablish your seats of holiness which have been decreed to you that ye may exist therein,
[who are with your souls] by day, who are in my following in the Tuat, when I make my way through the
night and when I destroy the darkness, O grant me your help so that I may travel on in the following of
my eye, and that I may journey forwards with those who go to my place in the East. Utter ye cries of joy,
O gods of the Tuat, for I avenge you, [utter ye cries of joy,] for I order your destinies."
When they have addressed this god whilst rowing along his boat Am-TA, they cry out, and they bring
him to rest in the Field of the NEPERTIU gods who are in the following of Osiris. If these scenes be done
[in writing] according to the similitudes which are in the
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hidden place of the palace, and if a man hath knowledge of [these] words . . . . they shall act as magical
protectors of a man upon earth, regularly, unfailingly, and eternally. The name of this hour is
SESHET-MAKET-NEB-S.
Next: Chapter III: The Third Division Of The Tuat, Which Is Called Net-Neb-Ua-Kheper-Aut
Sacred Texts Egypt EHH Index Index Previous Next
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CHAPTER III.
THE THIRD DIVISION OF THE TUAT, WHICH IS CALLED
NET-NEB-UA-KHEPER-AUT.
IN the scene which illustrates the THIRD DIVISION of the Tuat, which is passed through by the Sun-god
Click to view
.
The Boat of Af, the dead Sun-god, in the Third Hour
during the THIRD HOUR of the night, we see the boat of the god making its way over the waters of the
river
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in the underworld. The dead Sun-god AF stands within a shrine in the form of a ram-headed man, as
before, but there is a change in the composition of the crew, which now consists only of four mariners,
two of whom stand before the shrine and two behind, and the goddess of the hour and a hawk-beaded
deity, one of
Click to view
The Boat which capsizeth.
the forms of Horus, who is occupied in tying loops of rope to the elongated hawk-headed rowlocks in
which the paddles may be worked. The boat of AF follows in the train of three boats, which may be thus
described:--
The foremost boat is called UAA-PENAT,
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i.e., "The boat which capsizeth"; it contains three hawk-headed forms of the god Horus, and is steered by
two male figures, who stand one in the bows and the other at the stern. In the middle of the boat stand
the hawk-god BAK, and the hawk-goddess BAKET, and behind them, standing on a snake, is the
Click to view
The Boat of Rest.
third form of Horus. Between the front steersman and BAKET is the serpent TEKA-HRA, i.e., "Fiery
face," and the aft steersman bears a name of similar meaning, NAB-HRA.
The second boat is called UAA-HERER,
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i.e., "The boat of Rest," and has in the middle an Osiris god in the form of a mummy; each end of the
boat terminates in the head of a cynocephalus, and it is steered by two beings, one of whom is called
TESEM-HRA-F, i.e., "He whose face is like a knife," and the other KHEN-EN-URT-F,
Click to view
The Boat of the Branch.
i.e., "The ferryman who resteth not." The Osiris god stands between two gods, one of whom is called
AU-MATU, and the serpent which stands on its tail between the steersman in the bows and the first god
is called SET-EM-HRA-F.
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The third boat is called PA-KHET, "The Branch," and each end terminates in the head of a lion. In the
middle of it stands the form of Osiris, who is called SHEFSHEF, and he wears on his head a pair of ram's
horns; his arms and the upper
Click to view
The Four Forms of Osiris .
portion of his body are swathed. Behind him stands the mummied form called AM-TA, and before him
the god NEB-UAST. Of the two steersmen, only the name of the second, KHEN, or KHENNU is given;
the name of the serpent
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which stands on its tail is SET-EM-MAAT-F.
The procession of boats is met by four forms of Osiris, who stand with the upper portion of their bodies
swathed. Their names are:--1. NEB-NET, 2. MENI, ARA-TCHERU, 4. MAA-TCHERU.
The text written above the boats reads:--
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"This great god journeyeth over NET-NEB-UA-KHEPER-AUT (i.e., the Water of the Lord One, the
Creator of food). [He who is in] this picture transporteth the boats which are in the earth, and he
paddleth Osiris to this City. This great god resteth for a period in this City, and he sendeth forth his voice
to Osiris, and to those who are in his following, and [then] these hidden boats guide him into this Field.
This great god paddleth through this Field towards the Hour TENT-BAIU, and these boats journey round
to the district of THETTU, after traversing this City. Whosoever knoweth these things shall have both his
habitation and his bread with Ra."
In the upper register are the following:--
1. A dog-headed ape seated on an oval mass of sand; he is called HER-SHA-F, "He who is on his sand."
2. A dog-headed ape called TCHEB-NETER, or TEBI-NETER, seated in a coffer(?) with a vaulted roof.
3, 4. Two jackal-headed gods called ANPU and NEHEM-KHERU, or NEHA-KHERU.
5, 6. A man and a woman, who hold in each hand a pupil of the Eye of Horus, or Ra; the man is called
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[paragraph continues] ANTH, i.e., "He who brings," and the woman ANTET, i.e., "She who brings."
7. The ram SMA-KHEFTIU-F.
8. A mummied form, with projecting hands, called PET-AHAT.
Click to view
Third Hour. Upper Register. Gods Nos. 1-6.
9. ANUBIS of Thebes, in the form of a jackal, couchant on a pylon.
10. A kneeling man, who holds in his left hand a pupil of the Eye of RA, and is called
AN-MAAT-RA-SEHETEP-NETERU, i.e., "The bringer of the Eye of RA, who maketh content the gods."
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