The History of Anpu (Anubis) part II

 king tutankhamen (center), anubis (left), nephthys (right)

Anubis is one of the most iconic gods of ancient Egypt. Anubis is the Greek version of his name, the ancient Egyptians knew him as Anpu (or Inpu). Anubis was an extremely ancient deity whose name appears in the oldest mastabas of the Old Kingdom and the Pyramid Texts as a guardian and protector of the dead. He was originally a god of the underworld, but became associated specifically with the embalming process and funeral rites. His name is from the same root as the word for a royal child, "inpu". However, it is also closely related to the word "inp" which means "to decay", and one versions of his name (Inp or Anp) more closely resembles that word. As a result it is possible that his name changed slightly once he was adopted as the son of the King, Osiris. He was known as "Imy-ut" ("He Who is In the Place of Embalming"), "nub-tA-djser" ("lord of the scared land").

He was initially related to the Ogdoad of Hermopolis, as the god of the underworld. In the Pyramid Texts of Unas, Anubis is associated with the Eye of Horus who acted as a guide to the dead and helped them find Osiris. In other myths Anubis and Wepwawet (Upuaut) led the deceased to the halls of Ma´at where they would be judged. Anubis watched over the whole process and ensured that the weighing of the heart was conducted correctly. He then led the innocent on to a heavenly existence and abandoned the guilty to Ammit.

The ancient Egyptians believed that the preservation of the body and the use of sweet-smelling herbs and plants would help the deceased because Anubis would sniff the mummy and only let the pure move on to paradise. According to early myths, Anubis took on and defeated the nine bows (the collective name for the traditional enemies of Egypt) gaining a further epithet "Jackal ruler of the bows".

The growing power of the Ennead of Heliopolis resulted in the merging of the two religious systems. However, Osiris was the King of the Underworld in the Ennead and he was more popular (and powerful) than Anubis. So Anubis was relegated to a god of mummification. To save face it was stated that Anubis had voluntarily given up his position when Osiris died as a mark of respect. Some myths even stated that Anubis was the son of Osiris and Nephthys (who was herself associated with the funeral rites). Anubis was still closely involved in the weighing of the heart, but was more a guardian than a ruler.

He became the patron of lost souls, including orphans, and the patron of the funeral rites. In this respect he overlapped with (and eventually absorbed) the Jackal God Wepwawet of Upper Egypt.

During the Ptolemaic Period Anubis became associated with the Greek god Hermes as the composite god Hermanubis. Hermes was messenger of the gods, while Anubis was principally guide of the dead. Hermanubis was some times given attributes of Harpokrates. He was worshipped in Rome until the second century and was popular with Rennaisance alchemists and philosophers.

Priests wore Anubis masks during mummification. However, it is not clear whether the Anubis mask was a later development influenced by the Osirian myth or whether this practice was commonplace in the earlier periods too. Anubis was also closely associated with the imiut fetish used during the embalming ritual. Anubis was credited with a high level of anatomical knowledge as a result of embalming, and so he was the patron of anaesthesiology and his priests were apparently skilled herbal healers.

Tombs in the Valley of the Kings were often sealed with an image of Anubis subduing the "nine bows" (enemies of Egypt) as "Jackal Ruler of the Bows" and it was thought that the god would protect the burial physically and spiritually. One of his epithets, "tpy-djuf" ("he who is on his mountain") refers to him guarding the necropolis and keeping watch from the hill above the Theban necropolis. He was also given the epithet "khentyamentiu" ("foremost of the westerners" i.e. the dead) because he guarded the entrance to the Underworld.

He was originally thought to be the son of Ra and Hesat, Ra's wife (who was identified with Hathor), but later myths held that he was the child of Osiris and Nephthys, or Set and Nephthys. He was sometimes described as the son of Bast because of her link to the perfumed oils used in embalming. His wife, Anput (his female aspect) was only really referred to in association with the seventeenth nome of Upper Egypt. It is thought that they were the parents of Kebechet, the goddess of the purification.

Anpu giving life to king tutankhamen

Dogs and jackals often patrolled the edges of the desert, near the cemeteries where the dead were buried, and it is thought that the first tombs were constructed to protect the dead from them. Anubis was usually thought of as a jackal (sAb), but may equally have been a wild dog (iwiw) He was usually depicted as a man with the head of a jackal and alert ears, often wearing a red ribbon, and wielding a flail. He was sometimes depicted as a jackal (such as in the beautiful examples from the tomb of Tutankhamun) but only rarely appears as a man (one example is in the cenotaph temple of Rameses II at Abydos).

His fur was generally black (not the brown associated with real jackals) because black was associated with fertility, and was closely linked to rebirth in the afterlife. In the catacombs of Alexandria he was depicted wearing Roman dress and the sun disk flanked by two cobras.

Anubis was worshipped throughout Egypt, but the center of his cult was in Hardai (Cynopolis) in the the seventeenth nome of Upper Egypt. To the east of Saqqara there was a place known as Anubeion, where a shrine and a cemetery of mummified dogs and jackals was discovered. He was also worshipped at cult centers in Abt (the the eighth nome of Upper Egypt) and Saut (Asyut, in the thirteenth nome of Upper Egypt).

The History of Anpu (Anubis) part I

(Apnu) Anubis on the left Nephthys (Nebet-Het) right

Nephthys gave birth to a son called Anpu (Inpu), or Anubis, and that his father was, according to some, Set; from another point of view he was the son of Ra. 

The animal which was at once the type and symbol of the god was the jackal, and this fact seems to prove that in primitive times Anubis was merely the jackal god, and that he was associated with the dead because the jackal was generally seen prowling about the tombs. 

His worship is very ancient, and there is no doubt that even the earliest times his cult was general in Egypt; it is probable that it is older than that of Osiris. 

In the text of Unas {line 70 he is associated with the Eye of Horus, and his duty as the guide of the dead in the Underworld on their way to Osiris was well defined, even at the remote period when this composition was written, from we read, Unas stands with the Spirits, get thee on wards, Anubis, into "Amenti {the Underworld, on wards, on wards to Osiris." In the lines that follow we see that Anubis is mentioned in connection with Horus, Set, Thoth, Sep, and Khent-an-maati. 

From another passage of the same text we find {line 207 ff that the hand, arms, belly, and legs of the deceased are identified with Temu, but his face is said to be in the form of that of Anubis. 

The localities in which Anubis was especially worshiped are Abt, the Papyrus Swamps, Sep, Re-au, Heru-ti, Ta-hetchet, Saint, {Lycopolis, Sekhem, {Letopolis, etc. 

In the Theban Recesion of the Book of the Dead he plays some very prominent parts, the most important of all being those which are connected with the judgment and the embalmed the body of Osiris, and that he swathed it in the linen swathing which were woven by Isis and Nepthys, that it resisted the influences of time and deacy. 

In the vignette of the Funeral Procession the mummy is received by Anubis, who stands by the Book of the Dead the god is seen standing by the side of the mummy as it lies on its bier, and he lays his protecting hands upon it. In the speech which is put into the mouth of Anubis, he says, "I have come to protect Osiris." In the text of Unas {line 219 the nose of the deceased declares, My lips are the lips of Anpu." From various passages it is clear that one part of Egypt at least Anubis was the great god of the Underworld, and his rank and importance seem to have been as great as those of Osiris. {See Chapter liii.

In the Judgment Scene Anubis appears to act for Osiris, with whom he is intimately connected, for it is he whose duty it is to examine the tongue of the Great Balance, and to take care that the beam is exactly horizontal. Thoth acts on behalf of the Great company of the gods, and Anubis not only produces the heart of the deceased in the act of receiving a necklace and pectoral from Anubis, who stands by grasping his scepter; in the vignette of the Chapter on the Papyrus of Nebseni Anubis is seen presenting the heart itself to the deceased, and in the text below Nebseni prays, saying, "May Anubis make my thighs firm so that I may stand upon them." In allusion to his connection with the embalmment of Osiris the god Anubis is called Am Ut, i.e., "Dweller in the chamber of embalmment;" as the watcher in the place of purification wherein rested the chest containing the remains of Osiris he was called Khent Sehet, i.e., "Governor of the Hall of the god;" and one of his names as the god of the funeral mountain was "Tep-Tu-f," i.e., "he who is upon his hill." In the cxlvth Chapter of the Book of the Dead the deceased says, "I have washed myself in the water wherein the god Anpu washed when he had performed the office of the embalmer and bandager; and elsewhere the deceased is told that "Anpu, who is upon his hill, hath set thee in order, and he hath fastened for thee thy swathings, thy throat is the throat of Anubis {clxxii. 22 and thy face is like that of Anubis" {clxxxi. 9.

DUTIES OF ANUBIS

The duty of guiding the souls of the dead round about the Underworld and into the kingdom of Osiris was shared by Anubis with another god whose type and symbol was a jackal, and whose name was Ap-uat, i.e., the "Opener of the ways;" formerly Anubis and Ap-uat were considered to be two names of one and the same god, but there is no longer any reason for holding this view. In the vignette to the cxxxviiith Chapter of the Book of the Dead we find represented the scene of setting up the standard which supports the box that held the head of Osiris at Abydos. On each side of it are a standard with a figure of a jackal upon it and a pylon, on top of which lies a jackal; and as it is quite clear from the groups of objects on each side of the standard that we are dealing with symbols either of the South and North, or the East and the West, we are justified in thinking that one jackal represents Ap-uat and the other Anubis. Moreover, from the cxlvth Chapter we find that the xxist Pylon of the House of Osiris was presided over by seven gods, among whom were An-uat and Anpu, and as in the xviiith Chapter {F.,G. we have both gods mentioned, and each is predicated in the form of a jackal-headed man, we may conclude that each was a distinct god of the dead, although their identities are sometimes confused in the texts. The function of each god was to "open the ways," and therefore each might be called Ap-uat, but, strictly speaking, Anubis was the opener of the roads of the North, and Ap-uat the opener of the roads of the South' in fact, Anubis was the personification of the Summer Solstice, and Ap-uat of the Winter Solstice.

• In very ancient history Anubis was known to be the absolute ruler of the underworld (called Duat). Later theories indicate that this role was taken over by Osiris.
• The Guardian of the Scales: one of his many roles surrounding the dead included the Guardian of Scales where he dictated the fate of souls. As depicted in the Book of the Dead, Anubis weighs the decedent’s heart against the weight of a feather. The feather represents “Ma’at” or truth. If the scale of justice tipped toward the heart, the dead person would be consumed by Ammit, a female demon the ancient Egyptian people dubbed “devourer of the dead.” If the scale of justice tipped toward the feather, Anubis would lead the decedent to Osiris so he could ascend to a worthy existence in heaven.
• The God of embalming and mummification: Anubis held the important role of overseeing the embalming and mummification of the dead. The daughter of Anubis (Kebechet), is frequently seen as his assistant in the mummification process of the dead. Ancient Egyptians believed that Anubis sniffed the bodies of the dead, so they preserved them with sweet smelling herbs and plants. Anubis also assisted in the “opening of the mouth” ritual to ensure a good burial. This ritual was performed so the dead person could eat and speak in the afterlife.
• Protector of Tombs: as the Egyptian god responsible for protecting the dead, many prayers to Anubis were carved into their tombs. Anubis held this role until Osiris gained popularity and took it over.

ANUBIS

Anubis is called in the texts Sekhem Em Pet, and is said to be the son of Osiris, and Ap-uat bore the title Sekhem Taui, and was a form of Osiris himself. When, therefore, we find the two jackals upon sepulchral stelae, we must understand that they appear there in character of openers of the ways of the deceased in the kingdom of Osiris, and that they assure to the deceased the services of guides in the northern and southern parts of heaven; when they appear with the two Utchats thus, they symbolize the four quarters of heaven and of earth, and the four seasons of the year. On the subject of Anubis Plutarch reports {44, 61 some interesting beliefs. After referring to the view that Anubis was born of Nephthys, although Isis was his reputed mother, he goes on to say, "By Anubis they understand the horizontal circle, which divides the invisible, to which they give the name of Isis; and this circle equally touches upon the confines of both light and darkness, it may be looked upon as common to them both--and from this circumstance arose that resemblance, which they imagine between Anubis and the Dog, it being observed of this animal, that he is equally watchful as well by day as night. In short, the Egyptian Anubis and the Dog, it being observed of this animal, that he is watchful as well by day as night. In short, the Egyptian Anubis seems to be of much the same power and nature as the Grecian Hecate, a deity common both to the celestial and infernal regions. Theirs again are of opinion that by Anubis is meant Time, and that his denomination of Kuon does not so much allude to any likeness, which he has to the dog, though this be the general rendering of the word, as to that other signification of the term taken from breeding; because Time begets all things out of it self, bearing them within itself, as it were in a womb. But this is one of those who are initiated into the worship of Anubis. This much, however, is certain, that in ancient times the Egyptians paid the greatest reverence and honor to the Dog, though by reason of its devouring the Apis after Cambyses had slain him and thrown him out, when no animal would taste or so much as come near him, he then lost the first rank among the sacred animals which he had hitherto possessed." Referring to Osiris as the "common Reason which pervades both the superior and the inferior regions of the universe," he says that it is, moreover, called "Anubis, and sometimes likewise Hermanubis {i.e., Heru-em-Anpu; the first of these names expressing the relation it has to be superior, as the latter, to the inferior world. And for this reason it is, they sacrifice to him two Cocks, the white one,as a proper emblem of the purity and brightness of things above, the other of a saffron color, expressive of that mixture and variety which is to be found in these lower regions."

Strictly speaking, Anubis should be reckoned as the last member of the Great Company of the gods of Heliopolis, but as a matter fact his place is usually taken by Horus, the son of Isis and of Osiris, who generally completes the divine part; it is probable that the fusion of Horus, with Anubis was a political expedient on the part of the priesthood who, finding no room in their system for the old god of the dead, identified him with a form of Horus, just as they had done with his father Set, and the double god possessed two district and opposite aspects; as the guide of heaven and the leader of souls to Osiris he was a beneficent god, but as the personification of death and deacy he was a being who inspired terror. From an interesting passage in the "Golden Ass" of Apeleius {Book xi. we find that the double character of Anubis was maintained by his votaries in Rome even in the second century of our era, and in describing the Procession of Isis he says, Immediately after these came the Deities, condescending to walk upon human feet, the foremost among them rearing terrifically on high his dog's head and neck----that messenger between heaven and hell displaying alternately a face black as night waving aloft the green palm branch. His steps were closely followed by a cow, raised into an upright posture----the cow being the fruitful emblem of the Universal Parent, the goddess herself, which one of the happy train carried with majestic steps, supported on his shoulders. By another was borne the coffin containing the sacred things, and closely concealing the deep secrets of the holy religion."

This extract shows that even in the second century at Rome the principal actors in the old Egyptian Osiris ceremonial's were represented with scrupulous care, and that its chief characteristics were preserved. The cow was, of course, nothing less than the symbol of Isis, "the mother of the god," and the coffin containing the "sacred things" was the symbol of the sarcophagus of Osiris which contained his relics. Before these marched Anubis in his two-fold character, and thus we have types of Osiris and his mysteries, and of Isis who revivified him, and of Anubis who embalmed him. Had Apuleus understood the old Egyptian ceremonies connected with the Osiris legend and had he been able to identify all the characters who passed before him in the Isis procession, he would probably have seen that Nephthys and Horus and several other gods of the funeral company of Osiris were duly represented therein. On the alleged connection of Anubis with Christ in the Gnostic system the reader is referred to the interesting work of Mr. C.W. King, Gnostics and their Remains, Second Edition, London, 1887 {pp. 230,279

THE SECOND DIVISION OF THE TUAT

URNES

IN the Scene that illustrates the SECOND DIVISION of the Tuat, which is passed through by the Sun-god during the SECOND HOUR of the night, the Boat of the Ram-headed god AF is seen making its way along the 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 boat it is said that "this great god approachs this region, and he is conveyed along in the boats of the earth, by means of their . . . . ., and he paddles along through this Field and utters words,"

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;"

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 bearded human heads, but each is surmounted by a pair of plumes. 

In the center 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," 

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."

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 scepters, which symbolize the gods ANPU and AP-UAT, i.e., the jackal-headed 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 scepter near it; above the lizard we have

the foremost scepter , 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 deity who is kneeling in the middle of the boat. 

In the center 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 conveys 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 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."

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 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.

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, 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 re:--MEST-S-TCHESES, AMAMA KHEFTIU, and HERT-TUATI.

19-21. The goddesses SEKHET, of Thebes, AM-TCHERU, AMENT-NEFERT and NET-TEPT-ANT.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

The text referring to the gods in the upper register reads:--

"[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 on wards, 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 consists in causing to come into being the offerings of the night, and in performing the overthrow [of enemies] at their hour. It is they who guard the day, and who bring on the night until this great god comes 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:--

"[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 cries to them he orders them what they are to do, and he appoints 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 knows [this] is in the condition of a spirit equipped with [words of power], and [the gods] protect [him]."

The five lines of text which contain the address of the gods to Ra, and the answer of the god, read:--

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 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 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 ma'at, 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 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.