THE FIRST DIVISION OF THE ṬUAT, WHICH IS CALLED NET-RĀ.
In the scene that illustrates the First Division of the Ṭuat, 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
The Boat of Ȧf, the dead Sun-god.Maāti goddesses. Neken-f,
two parts by a river which flows along it. In the upper part is the boat of the dead Sun-god Ȧf,
, who is in the form of a ram-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 from noon to sunset. In front of the shrine in the boat stand the three deities, Ȧp-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 Ḥeru-Ḥekenu,
, Ka-shu,
, i.e., the "double of Shu," Nehes,
, i.e., the "Look-out," and Ḥu,
, 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 Maāt, 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 Ȧmentet, bearded, and in mummy form, and wearing the White Crown and the Menȧt.
4. The god Sekhet, or as it is written here Sekhment,
, lioness-headed.
5. The god Seḥetch-ur,
, ram-headed.
6. Four Terms, the first of which is called Ut-meṭu-Rā,
, the second Ut-meṭu-Tem,
, the third Ut-meṭu-Kheperȧ,
, and the fourth Ut-meṭu-Ȧsȧr,
.
7. The leader of the company, who is called Tcha-unnut,
; by his side is a serpent, called Sa (?), that stands on his tail.
The gods Khenti-Ȧmentet, Sekhet, Sehetch-ur, the Four Terms, and Tcha-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:--
"The name of this Field is 'Maāti.' 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-Rā is the name of this Field, Ȧrnebȧui 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 Ṭuat."
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
, i.e., "the coming into being of Osiris"; as the boat has no reed mat or carpet hanging from the prow, we may assume that it is intended to represent the Āṭet or Māṭet Boat, i.e., the boat in which the Sun-god travelled over the sky from sunrise to noon.
The Boat of the Birth of Osiris, with serpents and gods.
In front of the boat glide three serpents, which are called Sek-re,
, Sepȧ,
, and Nepen,
, and in front of these march four man-headed
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 Nābti,
, who holds a crook
in each hand, Net, or Neith, goddess of the South, Net, or Neith, goddess of the North, and the goat goddess Ārtet,
. The two hawk-headed gods are called Tchatui,
, and Meṭi,
, and the four following gods Ābenti,
, Benbeti,
, Sekhti, and Sekhet(?),
G4A
.
The explanation of this scene is given by the horizontal line of hieroglyphic text written above it, which reads:--
A180
S129
S129
"[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 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,"
G39A
. Their names are:--1. Un-ta,
. 2. Ba-ta,
G39A
. 3. Maa-en-Rā,
. 4. Ȧbta,
. 5. Ȧbȧben,
. 6. Ȧken-ȧb,
. 7. Benth,
. 8. Ȧfȧ,
. 9. Tchertcheḥ,
.[2]
II. Twelve divine beings, who are described as the "goddesses who unfold the portals in the earth,"
N37A
. Their names are:--1. Qat-ā,
. 2. Nebt-meket,
. 3. Sekhit,
F63
. 4. Ȧment-urt,
S128
. 5. Sheftu,
N27A
. 6. Ren-thethen,
. 7. Ḥekent-em-sa-s,
. 8. Qat-em-khu-s,
. 9. Sekhet-em-kheftiu-s,
. 10. Ḥuit,
. Ḥunt,
. 12. Nebt-ānkh,
.
The nine Ape-warders. The twelve goddesses of the gates.
Each goddess stands with her arms hanging by her sides.[3]III. Nine seated gods, each with his hands raised in adoration of Rā; they are called the "gods who praise Rā,"
. The first three are man-headed, and are called Ḥetch-ā
, Maa-ā,
, and Ḥes-ā,
; the second three are jackal-headed, and are called Neb-ta-ṭesher,
N27A
, Ȧp-uat,
, and Ȧp-sekhemti,
; and the third three are crocodile-headed, and are called Tchat-Ṭuat,
The nine singing apes. The twelve light-giving uraei.
II. Twelve serpents, who throw fire forth from their mouths, and are described as "those who make light the darkness in the Ṭuat." Their names are:--1. Besit,
2. Ḥetepit,
. 3. . 4. Khut-mu,
5. Ḥeseq-khefti-set,
T30A
. 6. Nefert-khā,
. 7. Mert-neser,
. 8. Beḥent,
. 9. Ȧp-she,
N27A
. 10. Nesert,
. 11. Ȧp-ȧst,
. 12. Shenit,
V49
[7]
III. Nine man-headed gods, with their hands raised in adoration, who are described as the "gods who praise [Rā],... the lord of the company of the gods,"
Z1A
. Their names are:--1. Ka-Ṭuat,
. 2. Ḥetem-ȧb,
G80
. 3. Ȧrȧ,
. 4. Ȧau,
. 5. Hemhem,
. 6. Ka-neteru,
. 7. Ṭuati,
. 8. Ḥekennu-Rā,
. 9. Āa-ȧter,
IV. Twelve goddesses, with their arms hanging by their sides, who are described as "those who give praises to Rā as he passeth over Urnes,"
N27A
. Their names are:--. Maa-neter-s,
. 2. Ȧrt-neter-s,
. 3. Ḥekent,
. 4. Net,
. 5. Āpert-re,
The nine praisers of Rā. The twelve goddesses who sing to Rā.
. 6. Ȧb,
. 7. Nebt-ḥet,
O9B
. 8. Ḥrȧ-seni(?),
. 9. Tefnut,
. 10. Nutet,
. 11. Ȧment,
. 12. Ȧst,
[8]The address which the Sun-god makes to the gods in the First Division of the Ṭuat reads:[9]--
y1
N27A
[
]
[
]
K4A
[
]
G39A
[
]
US22W17BVARE
E35
N27A
E35
[
]
G39A
[
]
US22W17BVARE
[
S129
]
N121 N27A
[
]
N121
[
]
N121
S129 [
N27A
]
N27A
[
]
[
]
US22W17BVARE
F63
E35
N27A
E35
N27A
I47
I47
I47
I47
I47
G305
N37A
[
]
S128
A180
O38A
S128
O38A
N37A
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 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 Ȧmenti. 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(?) Kheperȧ, O ye who have your being at the head of the Ṭuat. Stand ye up, in Urnes, and stablish ye yourselves on the secret banks thereof, and work ye for the gods of Ṭuat 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 Rā, "O great god, [the doors] are opened to thee, and the portals of the secret Ȧment 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 Rā the place where is Osiris Khenti Ȧmenti. There is a shout of joy to Rā 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 lighten thy darkness for thee....... O Rā, 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 Ḥenbet in thy secret place(?) Net. Thou openest Net-Rā, thou uncoverest the god Tchebā, the uraeus goddesses (neterit) of Urnes acclaim thee, the uraeus goddesses (nehenuit) ascribe praise to thee, thy word is maāt against thine enemies, thou givest tribulations to those who are condemned."
The Majesty of the god uttereth words after he hath come forth into this Court, he doeth battle at 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 the Court is "Ushem-ḥāt-kheftiu-nu-Rā."
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
