Ninth Division of the Tuat

THE NINTH, TENTH and ELEVENTH DIVISIONS of the BOOK OF GATES contain series of pictures and texts which are very hard to explain satisfactorily, and the difficulty is further increased by the fact that only one copy of them is known, i.e., that on the sarcophagus of Seti I. It is quite certain that they cannot refer to the Kingdom of Osiris, and we are driven to conclude that they are intended to illustrate and describe the region of AKERT, which, as has already been said, formed the Tuat to which the worshippers of the Sun-god of Heliopolis relegated the spirits of their dead. The FIRST DIVISION of this remarkable region, i.e., the NINTH in the BOOK OF GATES, is entered by the Gate called AAT-SHEFSHEFT, which is guarded by the monster serpent AB-TA; a company of gods keep watch outside, and the corridor is swept by flames of fire, and a warder in mummied form stands on guard at each end of it.

When AFU-Ra has passed through, and the Gate is closed, the gods outside set up a wail, for they must abide in darkness until he re-appears. So soon as the god has entered the DIVISION four gods of the

[paragraph continues] Tuat appear and take hold of the tow-line, but they cannot advance until a path is cleared for them. The obstacles in their way take the forms of the huge serpent APEP, and a great crocodile, the tail of which is in the form of a serpent's head and neck; the name of the latter monster is given both as SESHSESH and SESSI (vol. ii., pp. 242, 244). These have taken up their positions at the end of the DIVISION, in that portion of the Tuat which is not very far from the place of sunrise, and a company of beings appear on behalf of AFU-RA, and proceed to remove the monsters by means of words of power and magical ceremonies.

The company consists of six men, four apes, and four goddesses; in front of these are three men armed with harpoons, and grasping a rope, which passes over the prostrate body and head of the god AAI, its end being held fast in his two hands. AAI has on his head a small disk, which is set between two objects that resemble the ears of an ass, and these suggest that the figure is intended to represent a form of the Sun-god. The ass is well known as a type of the Sun-god, and "Eater of the Ass" is equally well known as a name for SET or APEP. In an illustration from the Book of the Dead (Chapter XL.; see above, p. 113), the "Eater of the Ass" is seen biting into the back of an ass, which is being delivered by the scribe Nekht in his character of Osiris. That AAI is a solar being, and that he opposes APEP on behalf of Ra, is obvious. It seems, however, that he is in need of the help of the men with harpoons, and of

their companions behind them, each of whom holds the ends of a pole or rope (of a net), which is bent in the shape of a bow over his or her head. The men are called HERU-METU-HEKAIU, i.e., "those who are over the words (which have) magical power"; the apes are called SAIU, i.e., producers of magical effects by making knots in ropes, over which they whisper incantations; and the women are called SAIT, and work the same kind of magic as the apes. The object which each member of these three groups holds with both hands above his, or her, head is probably a net and, as M. Lefébure has pointed out, it is actually so represented in the tomb of Rameses VI. (?). In the Babylonian legend of the fight between Marduk and Tiamat, the great she-monster of the deep, the god is made to provide himself with a net with which to entangle her feet. In the Book of the Dead (Chapter cliii. B.) we read of the net ANQET, and in the vignette we see three apes working it, and securing the fish which are caught inside it. As Apep was a monster of the deep, to make use of nets in his capture was a wise decision on the part of the friends of AFU-RA.

Click to view

The Apes working the net.

Having taken up their positions for attacking Apep the men with the harpoons work the rope which is attached to AM, the goddesses and the apes shake out

their rope nets over their heads, and recite their spells, and the men who know the proper words of power shake out their nets and recite the formulae which shall have the effect of throwing APEP and SESSI into the state of stupefaction wherein it will be easy to slay them. The spells and words of power have their proper effect, the monsters are fascinated and slain, and the path of AFU-RA is clear.

On the right of the Boat of AFU-RA is the huge serpent KHEPRI, with a head and a pair of human legs at each end of his body; one head faces north (or, west), and the other south (or, east). Behind each head is a uraeus, and between the uraei stands "HORUS OF THE TUAT," wearing the crowns of the South and North (vol. ii., p. 257). A rope passes under KHEPRI, and on one side is hauled by Eight Powers (SEKHEMIU), and on the other by the "Souls of Ament," who are man-headed; by the "Followers of Thoth," who are ibis-headed; by the "Followers of Horus," who are hawk-headed; and by the "Followers of RA," who are ram-headed (vol. ii., pp. 255, 256, 258). It will be noted that the two pairs of legs of KHEPRI face in opposite ways, so that in whichever direction he moves one pair must walk backwards; the Eight Powers have overcome the resistance of the sixteen gods, and the face of Horus of the Tuat is towards the rising sun.

On the left of the path of AFU-RA we see a hawk-headed lion called HERU-AM-UAA, i.e., "Horus in the Boat," wearing the Crown of the South; on his back

stands the two-headed god HORUS-SET (vol. ii., p. 247), whose faces typify Day and Night, and Light and Darkness, and the Sun-gods of the South and North. Above the hind-quarters of the lion is the head of the god ANA (?), wearing the Crown of the South; on the one side we have four gods of the South assisting in the raising of a column surmounted by the Crown of the South, and on the other four gods of the North assisting in the raising of a column surmounted by the Crown of the North. These ceremonies appear to have some connexion with the magical rites which were performed in Egypt in primitive times in the making ready of the crowns for the Sun-god to wear on his rising. Beyond these gods are: 1. The serpent SHEMTI, with four heads at each end of his body, and his warder APU. 2. The serpent BATA, with a head at each end of his body. 3. The serpent TEPI, with four human heads and bodies at each end of his body, and his warder ABETH. These are faced by two gods who are about to attack these serpents with nets, and who assist Horus by reciting words of power for him.

EHH Index

TENTH DIVISION OF THE TUAT.

II. KINGDOM OF TEMU-KHEPERA-RA ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF GATES.

In the TENTH DIVISION, or HOUR, which AFU-RA enters so soon as he has passed through its Gate, which is called TCHESERIT, and is guarded by the monster

serpent SETHU, it seems that the reconstitution of the Sun-god took place. The god AFU-RA is towed by gods of the Tuat as before, and in this DIVISION all danger appears to have been removed from his path. First stands UNTI, with two stars, and he lights up the upper heaven; next come four deities of flame and fire, who travel with AFU-RA and give him light. These are followed by three star-gods, who draw towards them a small boat containing a face which is intended for ATEN, or the Sun's Disk. The winged serpent SEMI acts as a guide for the god; BESI, the Flame-god, collects fire to put in the new sun; ANKHI, the god of Time, in the form of a serpent, with two faces which look in opposite directions, decrees the length of the new Sun's life; the four goddesses cry "Enter in, O Ra! Hail, come, O Ra!" and the MEHEN serpent surmounted by the god HORUS-SET, with one bow in the dark, and the other in the light, leads the god into the East of heaven (vol. ii., pp. 266, 267).

On the right of the path of AFU-RA are the twelve AKHEMU-SEKU gods, each with his paddle; they are born each day, and after the new Sun-god has entered his boat they join him, and act as his mariners. Beyond these are twelve goddesses who help to tow the Boat of AFU-RA just before dawn, and then come a god of the Gates of the Tuat, the captain of the gods in the Boat, two gods who order the courses of the stars, a star-god in the form of an ape, the Eye of RA, which unites itself to the face of RA, and the guardian of the

[paragraph continues] Gate of this DIVISION, who does not leave his place. All the other gods travel onwards to the day with AFU-RA. (vol. ii., pp. 273-278).

On the left of the path of AFU-RA we again see the serpent APEP. To his neck is attached a chain, which is grasped by the hands of the Four SETEFIU gods and the Twelve TCHATIU gods, and by the colossal hand AMEN-KHAT, and passing over five serpents, to each of which it is attached by a small chain, it disappears into the ground at the feet of the god KHENTI-AMENTI. Attached to the five small chains are figures of Seb and of the four children of Horus or Osiris, viz., MEST, HAPI, TUAMUTEF, and QEBHSENNUF. Close to the body of APEP, and lying by the chain which is tied to him, is the goddess SERQ. In front APEP is attacked by the ANTIU and HENATIU gods, who are armed with knives and sticks having curled ends. We have seen that in the NINTH DIVISION Apep was stupefied by the SAIU and other workers of magic, but here it is clear the defeat of this monster is nearly complete. Now that he has been removed from the path of AFU-RA, and lies fettered, the great god can continue his journey in peace.

EHH Index

ELEVENTH DIVISION OF THE TUAT.

II. KINGDOM OF TEMU-KHEPERA-RA ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF GATES.

The gate which leads into the ELEVENTH DIVISION, or HOUR, is called SHETAT-BESU, and the name of the

monster serpent which guards it is AM-NETU-F. Mummied forms guard the corridor between the walls .of the outworks, but the place of the company of gods who usually stand outside is occupied by two sceptres, or standards, one of which represents SAR, i.e., Osiris, and the other HORUS. The god AFU-RA enters this DIVISION in the form in which he has hitherto appeared, and he is towed by four gods who belong to it; we see, however, that APEP has not been wholly removed from the path of the god. The serpent lies here (vol. ii., p. 287) in fetters, and a company of the servants of AFU-RA who live in this DIVISION stand ready to attack him with the knives which they hold in their hands; their sceptres betoken their position as chiefs in the DIVISION. Next come four apes, each holding a large hand, and these stand, according to the text, two on the right and two on the left of the abode of the god; they hold up the Disk of the god, and sing praises to his soul when it looks upon them. In front of these are the goddesses AMENTET and HERIT, and the god SEBEKHTI, who presides over the entrance into the vestibule of the world of light.

On the right of the path of the Boat of AFU-RA are gods and goddesses of the South and North who stablish crowns on the head of Ra when he appears in the sky; gods who give names to Ra and all his forms; gods and goddesses who lament when Ra has gone out from Ament, and who drive away Set; and gods with bowed heads who sing praises to Ra and keep guard

over the Hidden Door. The souls of these gods follow after Ra, and accompany him on his way, but their bodies stay always where we see them. Their guardian is (vol. ii., pp. 296-299) the god called MATI, who has the head of a cat or lion.

On the left of the path of the Boat of AFU-RA is a company of his ministers who perform various important duties for him. Four of them carry disks, and give the command to the Gate of AKERT So that the god may be allowed to pass through and set himself in the sky. The mention of AKERT in the text which refers to these is interesting, for it shows that the ELEVENTH DIVISION of the BOOK OF GATES represents a portion of the Kingdom of the Sun-god of Heliopolis. Four other gods carry stars, and when AFU-RA passes out of this DIVISION, and is received into the arms of Nu, the Sky-god, they shout hymns of praise. 1 Before these are twelve gods with sceptres, four having human heads, four the heads of rams, and four the heads of hawks. The first four are the lords of the region, and stablish the domains of Ra in the sky; the second four provide offerings of bread and water for the god; and the third four set the shrine of Ra in the Matet-Sektet Boat, and place in it the paddles whereby it is to be paddled across the sky. The eight star-goddesses who sit upon uraei belong to the abode of the great god, four coming from the East and four from the West;

they invoke the Spirits of the East, and join with them in singing hymns to the god, and in praising him after he has appeared in the sky. At the head of the whole . company stands a god with the head of a crocodile (vol. ii., pp. 290-293). The Kingdom of TEMU-KHEPERA-RA. differs from other Tuats from the fact that, according to the BOOK OF GATES, it contains no place specially set apart for the punishment of the enemies of Osiris and Ra, and of the damned. The pictures which illustrate it supply us with representations of the enemies of the Sun-god and of the beings who vanquish them, and secure his triumphant progress. Having arrived at the end of the ELEVENTH DIVISION the Boat comes to the end of the Fourth Tuat; 1 AFU-RA has effected his transformation as KHEPERA, and is now ready to appear in the sky of this world as RA. How he effects this we shall see from the next DIVISION.

Footnotes

190:1 Compare Job xxxviii. 7--"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy."

191:1 The Four Tuats are the Kingdoms of Khenti-Amenti-Osiris, Seker, Osiris of Mendes and Busiris, and Temu-Khepera-Ra.

EHH Index