Pl. III.

INTRODUCTION
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. The practices of Egyptian religion were efforts to provide for the gods and gain their favor. Formal religious practice centered on the pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Although he was a human, the pharaoh was believed to be descended from the gods. He acted as the intermediary between his people and the gods, and was obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings so that they could maintain order in the universe n the earliest times the predynastic Egyptians believed that all the various operations of nature were the result of the actions of beings which were for the most part unfriendly to man. The inundation which rose too high and flooded the primitive village, and drowned their cattle, and destroyed their stock of grain, was regarded as the result of the working of an unfriendly and unseen power! and when the river rose "ust high enough to irrigate the land which had been prepared, they either thought that a friendly power, which was stronger than that which caused the destroying flood, had kept the hostile power in check, or that the spirit of the river was on that occasion pleased with them They believed in the existence of spirits of the air, and in spirits of mountain. #espite the fact that the Egyptian pantheon appears to the outside observer to be filled with a veritable menagerie of gods, goddesses and other beings in an almost mindless variety of manifestations, for the most part Egyptian deities were conceived in logical types consisting of human $anthropomorphic%, animal $&oomorphic%, hybrid and composite forms. The texts in the pyramids of 'nas and Teta and their immediate successors prove that the religious literature of the Egyptians contains a multitude of beliefs and opinions which belong to all periods of their history, and represent different stages in the development of their civili&ation. Their ideas about the various parts which constitute their material, and mental, and spiritual existences cannot have been conceived all at once, but it is very hard to say in respect of some of them which came first. The Egyptians conceived the existence of gods, who could eat, and drink, and love, and hate, and fight, and make war, and grow old, and die, and perish as far as their bodies were concerned. And although the texts show that in very early times they began to conceive monotheistic ideas, and to develop beliefs of a highly spiritual character, The Egyptians never succeeded in abandoning the crude opinion about the gods which their indigenous ancestors had formed long before the dynastic period of their history. A
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vertical line of inscription: "There is offered to them a handful upon earth from a soul who follows Ra." Nine figures l ing on !iers" the are called Pat he# $ment% "The whole !od of the rulers of Amentet. A vertical line of inscription: "There is offered to them a handful upon earth &when' entering the p lon of the (acred )and." Three small registers: in the upper one are four men with their arms raised% the are called *e+n u "The Praisers." In the middle register are four men standing% who are called ,au ta% "The (ouls -./ 0f the 1arth." In the lowest register is a man standing holding a uas sceptre and an an+h" his name is ,a Amentet% "The (oul of Amentet." ,ehind him is a woman treading on a sna+e. Nine women l ing on their faces with their hair falling down and their arms raised. The hierogl phs read Pat +e! u% "The whole !od of mourners." A man standing with raised hand in an attitude of declamation" he is called N s2ta -./% "(ummoner of the earth." ,elow him is another standing figure holding a uas2sceptre" his name is written merel with the reed2leaf which reads $% the determinatives are a statue and the pap rus roll.

Pl. III. The (outh 3all. At the top is the winged dis+ with horns and pendant uraei. The wings are drooped so as to fit the ga!le of the pentroof" nearl half the ga!le has !een destro ed% !ut fortunatel the name of ,a2en2Ra mer2Ptah% the throne name of 4erenptah% still remains !etween the two uraei. To the left at the tip of the wing is the name ,ehdet% determined with the cit sign. 5nder the curve of the wing are the words% "4a he give the &sweet' !ree6es of life." The whole wall is occupied with the inha!itants of the tenth 7erert. The inscription appears to !egin as usual with the long vertical line which comes ne8t to the +ing ma+ing offerings. "The gods of the tenth northern 7erert of the 9uat% those who cr Aloud% sacred of m steries." To the left of the long vertical inscription: 1. The +ing% !eardless% +neeling and ma+ing an offering. A!ove are four vertical lines of hierogl phs: -1/ There is offered to them one hin2measure upon earth. -2/ It is that the +ing ,a2en2Ra mer2Ptah% true of voice. -:/ &(on of the (un'% his !eloved% *otep2her24aat 4erenptah% !efore the lords of eternit . -;/ *e who ma+es light in the secret places." 2. The +ing% !earded% +neeling and ma+ing an offering. A!ove are four vertical lines of inscription: -1/ There is offered. :

-2/ To them a handful upon earth. -:/ It is that the +ing &,a2en2Ra' mer2Neteru% true of voice% -;/ Is as lord of the offerings of food. :. The +ing% !eardless% +neeling and ma+ing an offering. A!ove are four vertical lines of inscription: -1/ There is offered -2/ To them a handful upon earth. -:/ It is that the +ing ,a2en2Ra mer2Neteru is as an e8cellent <lorious 0ne in the 9uat. To the right is a long vertical line of inscription: "There is offered to them a hin2measure upon earth from him who ma+es light in the secret pla

-Pl. I=./ To the right of the vertical line: 1. A god holding a 5as2(ceptre% his name is Aha% "*e who is firml placed." "A mummified figure called (heta% "(ecret." A !ull and a uraeus on a stand" the !ull is called . . . deg Asar% ">>.0siris." A mummified figure without a name. A !ull and uraeus on a stand% he is called $men2Asar% "0siris is hidden." ,elow are two !ulls with uraei on stands% and two mummified figures% alternatel " the first !ull is $men2Asar% " 0siris is hidden " " the mummified figure is *ap" the second !ull is (esheta Asar% " 4a+ing 0siris to !e in secret." The mummified figure is called apparentl (heth. Two short vertical lines of hierogl phs: -1/ There is offered to them a handful upon earth. -2/ ?rom him who !elongs to the eastern people in the 9uat. ,elow these% though not e8actl under them% are two more short vertical lines of hierogl phs: -1/ There shall !e offered to them a handful upon earth from him who !elongs -2/ To the eastern people in the 9uat. A crocodile2headed god holding an uas2sceptre and an an+h" !ehind him are four mummified figures. 5nfortunatel the inscription is so mutilated as to !e illegi!le% and it cannot !e restored from the pap rus of Amenhotep II. Two vertical lines of inscription partiall destro ed: -1/ &There is offered' to them a handful upon earth from a powerful one. -2/>> 1ver land% great of>>.% chief of the <lorious 0nes. ?our women +neeling on chairs" the first letter of the name is !ro+en awa % and in the pap rus of Amenhotep it is almost illegi!le% it ma % however% !e (% for there is a word (enen% which means "Image%" and here the name is (enent ut. A @ac+al2headed god% with his name Anu!is a!ove him% holding a human2headed staff in each hand. In the pap rus of Amenhotep he holds two he#2signs. In the row !elow are four mummified male figures. (heta u a% "Those who hide the hand"" four mummified female figures% (heta ut a% "Those who hide the hand." A god holding a uas2sceptre and an an+h% Amen hau% "*idden of lim!s." Two vertical lines of hierogl phs: -1/ There is offered to them a handful upon earth. It is that the +ing ,a21n2Ra24er2 Neteru. -2/ Is among the hearers who are upon earth. ?our !irds% each sitting on a tree% ,au per u% "The souls which go forth." ?our mummified figures Ar u nehaut% "Those who !elong to the s camore trees." ?our men !ending !ac+wards% (hesep u% "Those who !end-./." 2 and :. A vertical line of inscription" the words are repeated twice: "There is given to them a hin measure upon earth in entering the secret places." Twelve figures of 0sirified gods in shrines. The hierogl phs read: "The gods who are in their shrines upon the sand." There is a curious curved line going from one side of the shrine to the other" I ta+e this to !e an attempt to indicate that the inner part of the shrine itself was curved. Two vertical lines of inscription reaching to the ground. There is onl one sentence" repeated four times% showing that it applies to the four rows of figures who come ne8t. 1ach sentence !egins in the left2hand line and ends in the right2hand line" ce>repulsing the (e! n2fiend on the da of powerful in Amentet." A

I. Two rows of four men standing. The name is almost destro ed. Nine mummies laid upon !iers. The hierogl phs are Pat sau m u% "The whole !od of the sons who are within -./." The word Pat is said ! 9r. ,udge to mean the "mass" -li+e a ca+e or dough/% meaning "the whole !od "" e.g.% Pat neteru would !e "the whole !od of the gods." :. Thirt 2one figures in a wal+ing attitude% !ut l ing hori6ontall " the are in pairs% e8cept those at the left2hand corner where there are three together. A!ove them is written ,an +heper u em Asar% "The souls who !ecome as 0siris." A vertical line of inscription reaching from the top to the !ottom of the wall: " 3hen transformations are made in Amentet% his soul% let it go forth for its refreshment% those who are therein -i.e. in Amentet/ let them praise Ra% when he goes forth upon earth." 1. 1ight women holding in the left hand% which is raised a!ove the head% an o!@ect which loo+s li+e a whip. In the tom! of Rameses =I the whip is replaced ! a net% and in pap rus No. 1B%;CD of the ,ritish 4useum the o!@ect is painted !lue and appears li+e a hatchet2shaped vessel from which water is pouring. The name is almost entirel destro ed. 2. 1ight men standing: "Those who !elong to the <lorious 0ne." :. 1ight mummified figures from whose mouths water is pouring. Their name is Pat menu a% "The whole !od of the hiders of the hand." ,ehind these stands a woman called (hent% who is pro!a!l the goddess (hent . (he is generall represented under the form of a cow% and it is in the chapels dedicated to her that some of the 0sirian m steries are cele!rated.