English
Spain
AMD The book of that which is in the Underworld is an account of the nightly journey of the sun god in his sacred boat through the realm of the Underworld. Unlike earlier FUNER0RY TEXTS, the Amduat gives a detailed description of what the god will encounter during the 12-hour journey. The Amduat explains in text and pictures what happens to the sun when it falls below the horizon each night phenomenon that must have been debated by Egypt- tian priests. The Amduat chronicles the perils of the Underworld and the victorious emergence of the sun each dawn.
Amduat, The book of that which is in the Underworld, first appeared in the tomb of Thutmose III (1504 - 1492 B.C) in the VALLEY OF THE KINGS.
His walls were painted to resemble papyrus, and the text of the Amduat was in cursive script. The many variations of the Amduat were favorite tomb decorations for Egyptian kings. Most important to the deceased king was the set of directions contained in the Amduat to help him make his way through the 12 dark and dangerous hours of the Underworld.
When priests began to collect and condense assorted myths in the temple libraries, they must have seen the similarity between human life on Earth and the daily life of RE, the sun god. Just as the sun was reborn each day, so, too, could humans be reborn by resurrecting in the next world. If the proper burial rituals were performed, the deceased could join Re in his sacred boat and travel in safety through the 12 hours of the DuAT. In the Amduat, Re, and OSIRIS each worked to ensure eternal life for the souls of the deceased, but Re was the more important god. Although his light died each night, Re was still the chief protector and guide for the souls of the deceased as they made their way through the terrors and darkness of the Duat.
Each chapter in the Amduat describes the hazards experienced during each of the 12 hours that make up the night.
Crusher of the forehead of the foes of Re is the name given to The First Hour of the night. Between the heavens and the Underworld are Re and the solar (sun) boat. The deity has become a sun of night, or a sun without light, since he has lost his energy.
The second hour of the night is known as She who knows how to safeguard her king. Re enters the Ur-Nes, the region of the Underworld close to the Nile, together with the souls of the departed. They are instructed to address the Duat gods or souls by their proper names when they first see them.
At The Third Hour of the night, three boats being rowed by Osiris, who manifests in various forms, accompany the solar boat as it crosses the Stream of Osiris and enters the domain of those who slaughter.
At The Fifth Hour of the night, Re and the spirits of the departed, still on their snake boat, go into Sokar's territory. The holy boat is being towed by seven gods and seven goddesses who represent the seven days that make up a month as they get closer to the Sokar cave.
Re and the spirits of the departed return to the solar boat at The Sixth Hour of the Night. They get closer to the Osiris Shrines in the Delta. There are 16 chambers in all within the Shrines of Osiris, each housing a mummy. Re orders the 16 mummies to accept his sacrifice, to look out for him, and to destroy his snake foe APOPHIS.
The solar boat enters the lair of Osiris during The Seventh Hour of the night. Re and his snake arch-enemy Apophis, who stands in the way of the holy bark, engage in a violent conflict, which is described in detail in the poem.
Re and his group arrive in Debit-Neteru during The Eighth Hour, where they are welcomed by the powerful snake known as Mehen, who will guard them. Here, as Re walks by their hidden residences, the gods and souls spring to life. Re then orders them to slaughter all of the demons and his foes in that domain.
In the Ninth Hour, the solar boat reaches the Hidden Circle of Amentet, where anyone who learns the names of the gods and their places shall be honored in the city. They are accompanied by 12 divine sailors, each carrying an oar so that he might splash water upon the spirits that stand on he banks of the river.
In the Tenth Hour, the solar boat continues its journey, with Re holding a snake as his staff. Several boats carrying gods of the Underworld have joined the solar boat, and the gods of the Underworld kill the enemies of Re as they make their way to the eleventh hour.
In the Eleventh Hour, Re holds a scepter of authority, and on the bow of the boat, a solar disk represents the sun with a serpent around it. The serpent, Pesto, symbolizes time and swallows the stars that represent the hours of the night that have passed.
In the Twelfth Hour, Re and the souls of the deceased leave the darkness of the Duat and enter the circle where they will be reborn. Re will enter this world as the rising sun, and the deceased safely enter the NETHERWORLD (heaven).
