Groove book

The Nutbuch (original title: Plan of the course of the stars (on the body of the groove ) ) is a collection of ancient Egyptian astronomical texts on the subject of dean stars , shadow clock , moon , sun and planets .

So far, only three different complete records of the Nutbuch have been documented in the Pharaonic era . In addition, parts of the Groove Book complement each other in numerous grave complexes with sections from the Book of Hours . The theme of the sunrise as a mythological rebirth is the predominant theme. The Egyptology refers to these sections, depending on the membership of the traditional templates as " Book of Nut family texts ". Drafts from the period of the second century AD were initially added in the form of two published text witnesses from Tebtynis , before another four fragments from the same epoch and region were published in 2007 . The new material contains sections that were previously unknown and thus offers further valuable additions to the Egyptian religious texts.

The so-called Nutbuch consists of intra-Egyptian translations and commentaries that have been handed down on inscriptions and papyri from different epochs. With the explanations of the Nutbuch a handbook on religious astronomy is available, which is to be regarded as unique in this form and coherently explains the concepts of ancient Egypt in its own words. The tradition, which may last up to three thousand years, and the abundant finds in Tebtynis, an otherwise unknown place, point to the adherence to the mythological specifications of the Nutbuch during ancient Egyptian history.

Research history and versions of the groove book

Pharaonic time

Very early on, the interest of Egyptology focused on the astronomical parts of the so-called Groove Book. The first version available for modern research was the version R in the grave of Ramses IV , which is limited to the groove picture and the dean lists . The text was first copied by Jean-François Champollion and Ippolito Rosellini and later by Heinrich Brugsch . Erik Hornung published the complete publication “Two Ramesside Royal Tombs” in 1990 as part of a new treatment.

“Sethos script”: Representation of the 36 deans

The " Sethos script " (S) discovered in 1933 in the Osireion in Abydos brought great progress, especially since the S version is the oldest evidence. Adriaan de Bucks attempts to translate the cryptographic parts of the Nutbuch gave decisive impulses to the decryption of the Nutbuch. However, the Dean's chapter initially met with little interest in research, as the context of the text was very difficult to understand. The lunar chapter, which in Pharaonic times is only documented in the “Sethos script”, was completely neglected. The processing status used in publications in the past was based on the standard edition by Otto Neugebauer and Richard Anthony Parker "Egyptian Astronomical Texts" until the reworking by Alexandra von Lieven in 2007 .

In 1977 Jan Assmann published the version M from the tomb of the Mutirdis , which comes from the 26th dynasty . New knowledge could not be obtained from version M, since on the one hand the content largely follows the intention of the "Sethos script" and on the other hand it is only in very poor condition. The "Sethos script" differs in some passages from the versions R and M and shows the image of the goddess Nut in different dimensions in comparison . The larger groove pattern refers to the book from the night , the smaller diagonal version, on the other hand, to the groove pattern of the groove book, which, however, remained unfinished in its execution. Individual sections in other epochs, which correspond to the contents of the "Sethos scripture", are called "Sethos 1A family" or "Sethos 1B family".

Tebtynis frames (2nd century AD)

The Tebtynis text material is scattered around the world due to its complex history of excavations and acquisitions. In addition, there are several thousand fragments unsorted in museums that have not been published and have to be looked through each time. As a consequence, Tebtynis fragments can therefore very easily be overlooked. In addition, it is not clear whether there are other previously undiscovered texts in museums and private collections. In fact, Siegfried Schott saw fragments in the art trade around 1930, the whereabouts of which are still unknown today.

The papyri Papyrus Carlsberg 1 (PC1) and Papyrus Carlsberg 1a (PC1a) were edited in 1940 and 1960, respectively. These versions provided a problem-free reading and provided additional demotic comments from the Egyptians . For this reason, most of the publications on the so-called Nutbuch were based on the Tebtynis versions. For a long time, the false assumption that the “Sethos script” in the Osireion does not belong to the Nutbuch was a problem. Only Winfried Barta saw the connection between these texts. PC1 and PC1a come from the same writer, both in the hieratic and in the demotic text. The text extension of older templates is remarkable. This fact could only be ascertained recently by finding further text fragments. Earlier assumptions that the text was shortened are no longer valid.

The papyri fragments pBerlin 14403b edited in 1998 as PC228 stand out due to their careful layout and beautiful writing. The author of these fragments held the post of nun writer , which is known in demotistics . A major difference within the Tebtynis fragments PC228 is shown by the partial version pCarlsberg 497 as PC497 , which is the only text that adheres to the original "Sethos script" in every detail. Particularly noticeable is the lack of the same sections as in the developed "Sethos script" and its otherwise textual correspondence. This finding only allows the conclusion that in the second century AD the original Nutbuch inscriptions were no longer complete.

The papyrus pOxford 79/105 (now Berkeley), discovered in 2001, shows strong corruptions as version O , which refer to older templates as drafts and were then changed in the processing. Similar procedures can be observed more often for illustrated papyri .

Time of origin of the groove book

Depiction of Sesostris III. as a sphinx head

Earlier research had already examined the two dean lists in the Nutbuch. The information contained star numbers and names with the ideal-Sopdet rising at first Akhet I are connected. Sometimes dean names are also mentioned in the groove book without any special assignment. The contradictions in the dean lists therefore show clearly different dates of origin. The data list shows a processing in the Middle Kingdom under Sesostris III. in his seventh year of reign, which coincides with the mention of the heliacal rise of Sirius on the 16th Peret IV in the same year and about the period from 1880 to 1850 BC. Is to be narrowed down. The correctness of this information can be assumed by several Egyptologists as certain due to different calculation methods. Christian Leitz therefore wants an original date of origin one Sothis cycle earlier for around 3324 BC. Chr. Postulate ; Sesostris III. then made an adjustment to the deans. The reason given is on the one hand the astronomical fact that there was no seventy-day invisibility period for Sirius in the Middle Kingdom and on the other hand the calendar date of Sopdet in the Nutbuch must have been of particular importance.

In this context, the connection between the embalming duration of 70 days and the observations actually carried out is assumed to be certain, which subsequently became canonical . The mention of Sopdet in the pyramid texts also plays an important role. However, no connection with the Nutbuch can be derived from this mythological connection. The groove book uses the canonical invisibility period because it has become canonical, which does not automatically justify the time when the groove book was created. Certainly the Sirius date was not particularly important for the everyday life of the Egyptians, which is why there must be other reasons that led to the inclusion of the 16th Peret IV in the Nutbuch.

In this context, the changed classification of the dean's stars in the dean's lists in the Nutbuch, which indicates new observation techniques, is striking. The original order depended on the heliacal and acronymic ascents of the respective deans. However, this form had the methodological disadvantage of not being able to correct the imponderables of the weather conditions . A constant and reliable classification was therefore not possible. Moving the observation to the nighttime considerably minimized the risk of uncertainty. The old dean lists then lost their importance, as their data could no longer be used for the new dean order.

The origin and history of the components of the groove book remains unclear. Although linguistic studies prove the existence of the Nutbuch texts in the Old Kingdom , there is no tangible evidence. Older, other templates with the new dean lists with regard to technical innovations (invention of the water meter ) result in the hypothetical scenario: Sesostris III. decided to put together the most important knowledge of religious astronomy. Various individual texts that go back to the Old Kingdom, including the groove picture, were supplemented with the mythological work “Plan of the course of the stars” and the chapter on the moon and planets. Between the time of the strings and the early Ptolemy epoch , further comments on the Groove Book arose, which were continuously supplemented with comments in order to guarantee the old tradition .

Spatial arrangement of the groove book

Circumpolar stars (grave of Seti I)

The common feature of all groove book versions is that they are placed in the western half of the sarcophagus hall of the respective grave owner. Opposite, in the eastern half, was the picture of the Book of the Night in the embalming hall. This stylistic break in the otherwise usual orientations is striking. The cause is likely to be found in the content of the Nutbuch, which focuses on the sunset and the night sky. The conclusion is the sunrise, which only plays a minor role in the Nutbuch.

When combining the books of the day and the night, the book of the day is on the appropriate eastern part and the book of the night is correspondingly on the western part. Only in the tomb of Ramses VI. the builders chose the north-south direction in order to be able to use the entire length of the corridor. The book of the day is shown there on the southern part and the book of the night on the northern part. The equation of north and west is to be seen in connection with the setting of the sun, which sinks below the horizon in the west and is then no longer visible. The same invisibility is given for the north.

For the south, the connection between the midday position of the sun and its rise in the east applies symbolically for visibility during the day. The explanatory pattern thus consists of east / south = day and west / north = absence of the sun = night. In the grave of Scheschonq III. there is the rare case that the texts of the book about the night are not on the ceiling, but are on the north and west walls according to the explanatory pattern; in the sun sanctuaries of Medinet Habu and Taharqa on the Holy See only on the west wall and in Deir el-Bahari on the north side of the east wall. The Nutbuch and the Book of the Day, on the other hand, are nowhere to be seen as wall representations.

There is a clear division in the representation system of the groove book. The situation is completely different with the underworld books, where no preferred direction can be determined. This fact coincides with the state of the writing systems of the respective books and confirms the observation that a decoration program existed for the groove book, but not for the underworld books. The lack of coordination between the two components suggests different development times.

content

Groove pattern

Lines E through 15

Ceiling representation ( grave of Seti I )

The PC1 / PC1a versions only contain descriptions of the groove representation instead of the groove pattern. The introduction (E) is no longer preserved in the Sethos scriptures.

The preamble in the Tebtynis versions not only has a descriptive character, but also contains additional interpretations that are equivalent to an explanatory function. Based on this system, it can therefore be assumed that the writers had access to appropriate templates from the older scripts.

In this context, the representation of the sky in Philae shows great parallels to that of the groove image. The same applies to the corresponding introduction to the Teybtynis versions.

At the beginning of the following explanations, the Sethos script contains the note that the Nutbuch also contained an older text that did not belong to the original Nutbuch. The template title “Ground plan of the Seeland” was also quoted in the “Buch vom Fayum ”, which only contains labeled drawings and has a basic plan character. The sentence contained therein “knowledge of the floor plan of the south and north of all of Egypt” confirmed the assumptions of the Egyptologists that the “floor plan figure” contained therein shows a close connection to the Nutbuch.

Excerpts from the Sethos scriptures (lines 1 to 15)	Excerpts from the PC1 / PC1a version (lines E to 15)
^E [no longer legible] ¹ Everything should happen as it is described ¹ and what is known as the outline of the course of the stars. ³ This god (Re) is on its southeastern side, ³ which is behind Punt . ⁴ He is on the way out of darkness, ⁴ before the sky is brightened. ⁵ Nechbet , the white woman from Nechen , ⁶ her rising [happens in] the eastern horizon. ⁸ He (Re) emerges from her (groove) rear part. ⁹ So he went to earth, appeared and born. ¹¹ So he opens the thighs of his nut nut. ¹² So he goes to heaven. ¹³ So he enters as a winged scarab . ¹⁴ This is how he (Re) comes into being, the way he came into being for the first time ¹⁴ on [earth] the first time. ¹⁵ He's swimming in his blush.	^E This is the [picture on the script] roll. ^E This is the female figure, [whose] head is ^E in the west and whose rear part is in the east, ^E that is [[ Nephthys]], that is the northern sky. ^E The sun rises in the vicinity of the sky. ^E The waters from which this god (Re) rises, ^E pervade the sky. ^E That is, it happens after its circulation. ^E The course of the stars takes place according to the regulations, ^E that is, those who rise in the sky. ³ This god (Re) arises at the southeastern point, ³ moored in the shape of the falcon. ³ He is a hawk that comes forth from the nun . ⁴ Its rear part is in the reteh-qabet , ⁴ its front part in the sereq-hetit . ⁶ [Nechbet], her rising from the place where she is, ⁶ opposite the hawk. He (Re) speaks to her ⁶ when she comes from God's land . ^7-12 [illegible] ¹³ He (Re) goes to heaven in the form of the scarab. ¹⁴ It went in the form of the original arising, ¹⁴ as on the first day from the beginning. ¹⁵ The place where the majesty of this god (Re) rises is the place ¹⁵ where Kenmut and down Schetui rise on high days . ¹⁵ This is the place of the ascent which this God (Re) makes.

Explanation lines E to 15

Representation of the Nephthys

The vulture goddess Nechbet

Scarab amulet, around 550 BC Chr.

The mention of Nephthys as the northern sky seems strange at first, since this region of the sky is otherwise associated with Nut. Obviously there is an interpretation instead of a description. The basis is the motif of two sky goddesses, which can also be seen on the representations in the temple of Philae and Kom Ombo . The head end, which should be expected to be in the west, also appears there in a northerly direction. The background is the reference to the starry sky, where the southern sky lies behind the “Mother of God of Re” and the northern sky lies in front of her. Nephthys appears at the head end and Isis at the back of the sun bark . The spatial division follows the well-known cardinal direction pattern, which understands west and north as the location of the absent sun.

Mythologically, the northern sky also corresponds to the region in which the Re was created, with Nephthys and Isis taking on a double function as nurse and mother and can therefore merge with Nut in their function. There is also a clear connection to the Osirism myth , where Nephthys and Isis raise Horus together as mother and nurse.

Some Egyptologists , such as Kurt Sethe , Arielle Kozloff and Ronald Wells , hold the view that the northern sky in connection with Nut symbolizes the ribbon of the Milky Way . In addition, they interpreted the representations from the Ramesside period with stars on and around their bodies as proof of their hypothesis , but without being able to give clear evidence for it. After working through these and other texts, those views could no longer be shortlisted, as Harco Willems , Rolf Krauss and Arno Egberts clearly demonstrated that the areas mentioned meant the Mesqet von Nut.

The falcon is the form of Re, which it takes shortly before its rising. At this point, his whereabouts are still far behind Punt. With this, Re slips into the role of Horus in the horizon . The later naming of Osiris as "his father" shows that Re is actually understood as Horus . In particular, Re is therefore not mentioned in the first 15 lines and only appears in the forms “this God” or “majesty of this God”.

The mention of Nechbet alludes to the myth " The homecoming of the goddess ". Nechbet takes on the roles of Hathor and Tefnut . This function seems unusual at first. However, if Nechbet's prominent position as the "crown goddess" in Upper Egypt is taken into account, the connection to the sun's eye is automatically established . Traditionally it was mostly assumed that the sun's eye is the sun itself and therefore part of Re. However, new investigations into the texts show that mainly Sopdet is identified with the sun's eye. The invocation of Sopdet in the “ Hymns to the Diadem ” is not accidental in this context . The mention of the Nechbet in the Nutbuch exemplarily shows the syncretism of the Egyptian religion , which is already well documented in the Middle Kingdom and at the same time provides evidence that all important female deities can appear in the form of the sun's eye.

On this basis, Nechbet can easily take over the function of Sopdet, which is clearly manifested in the sentence "[Nechbet], you ascent from the place, opposite the falcon". The location “opposite the falcon” describes the state of Re before birth, which at this point is still below the horizon, while Sirius as Sopdet / Nechbet can already be seen above the horizon and is therefore “opposite Re”. During the course of the sunrise , Re transforms from a falcon into a winged scarab, the typical figure of the morning sun as the deity Chepri . The time of the transformation is not specified, since it is assumed to be knowing when the earth rises. The iconographic depiction as a winged scarab associates, on the one hand, the ascending movement towards the sky and, on the other hand, the distinctive characteristic of newly hatched scarabs to emerge from the earth.

In addition, there is also an advance reference to the dawn , which is associated with the idea of an island of fire. In the pyramid texts 888a-b and 467, Re is also connected with the scarab, which is also occupied for the west and the sunset. The content is similar in Esna 413 , where Re at sunset is described as "entering in the form of a scarab". The comparison documents the natural behavior of this beetle species, which bury themselves and their dung ball in the ground.

Finally, reference is made to the original form of origin and it is emphasized that every sunrise represents a repetition of creation. The place of origin of Re is geographically equal to the astronomical azimuth of the Dean stars Kenmut and Ab-Schetui. A comparison of the data shows that the heliacal rising of these deans takes place in the area of the horizon in which the sun rises at that time of year. The text causes problems of understanding in the further course, since the later author has demonstrably expanded the original text. The Sethos script does not refer to the place of origin, which is why possible interpretations could be made.

Lines 16 to 38

Lines 16 through 38 focus on sunrise and the locations associated with it. These passages of the Nutbuch clearly and precisely show the Egyptians' conceptions of heaven, which come very close to the modern conception of the universe and state that there the well-known dimensions of the earth, with the limitation to the three dimensions of length, width and height, have lost their sole validity definition .

Excerpts from the Sethos scriptures (lines 18 to 38)	Excerpts from the PC1 / PC1a version (lines 18 to 38)
¹⁶ He (Re) opens his amniotic sac. ¹⁷ He's swimming in his blush. ¹⁸ He cleans himself in the arms of his father Osiris. ¹⁹ Thus [his father] lives effectively, ¹⁹ after he (Re) has placed himself with him. ²⁰ The blush after his birth. ²¹ The writings that are opposite her (groove) leg. ²² So he (Re) is raised at the beginning of the Mesqet . ²⁵ So he is [command] to go to heaven, ²⁵ in the "hour of satisfaction". ²⁶ So his stature will be strong and great. ²⁷ Arising as a human being in […]. ²⁸ This is how his heart and strength arise, ²⁸ that is, strength against Apophis . ²⁹ [...]. ³⁰ A chick when Re showed up by coming out. ^31-35 [illegible]. ³⁶ There's no light there at all. ³⁷ As for every place, empty of heaven, ³⁸ and empty of earth, that is the entire duat .	¹⁸ He (Re) cleans himself in the arms of his father Osiris . ¹⁸ That means: He (Osiris) purifies as water from which (Re) rises. ¹⁹ He (re) lives and is beautiful when he emerges from the water. ²⁰ The redness arises after birth in the color ²⁰ that arises in the disc in the morning, ²⁰ its rays are in the said color on earth . ²⁰ Look, the crown of Lower Egypt is the one that reads “blush”. ²¹ (Re) rise from the Duat , the stars behind him, ²¹ rise on the Mesqet. This is the entrance of the Duat. ²² (Re) is nourished in the Mesqet, that is: his strength. ²⁵ (Re) commands his removal from the people in the Duat, ²⁵ in the ninth hour of the night, ²⁵ that is the "hour that satisfies". ²⁶ Its arising will be great. Greatness what his flame is. ²⁷ This is how (re) arises in both countries. ²⁸ His heart arises, that is, strength against Apophis. ²⁹ His look at the earth as it rises is its rays. ³⁰ A boy when (Re) shows himself at the rise. He is small. ³¹ The top of heaven is the Keku-semau . ³¹ The outside of heaven is in Reteh-qabet , ³¹ which is the boundary of heaven. ³² Your boundaries (the perimeter) are unknown. ³³ The boundaries are fixed in the Now as “Tired”. ³³ These are in the water by being exhausted, ³³ that is, the places I have spoken of. ³⁴ The ba does not rise there. Re does not go up there. ³⁵ His land is not known by gods and transfigured ones, ³⁵ that is, the place where darkness is. ³⁶ There's no light in it at all. ³⁷ Every place now spreads every shadow. ³⁷ It is entirely covered with darkness, that is, the waters. ³⁸ The countries are raised higher than the entire Duat. ³⁸ The darkness there exceeds that of the Duat.

Explanation lines 16 to 38

Representation of Osiris

Re's mother is regularly depicted as a cow in iconography. In ungulates , it is common for the calf to be completely enveloped by the amniotic sac after birth, from which it only frees itself on the ground. This picture explains the Egyptians' idea of the sun mother that her child Re rose near the horizon after first falling from the back of the groove onto the surface of the earth. The upper part of the birth symbolized the arms of the father Osiris, who was also seen as the water of the Nile . In this context, the source of the Nile is said to have sprung from his leg. In the later Roman Empire the depictions in the cult of Isis showed Osiris with a jug of water from the Nile.

The purification in the water, as a counterpart to the birth by the mother, enables the new sunrise. In the cosmographic texts, the union of Re with Osiris for the purpose of reviving Osiris is of great importance. The hug motif can be found regularly in the pyramid texts. The state of purification is seen there as refreshment in the arms of the father, who is admittedly given in the pyramid texts as atum. The pyramid sayings, however, allow further interpretations, as four entities are named in the introduction, including Ma-her-tjerut. While the exact translation of the first part of the name remains unclear, the last part of the name means "... on the red" and shows a direct connection to the description in the Nutbuch. The terms used in the basic text from the Nutbuch can therefore be clearly dated to the Old Kingdom.

The times of day were represented by the goddesses of the hours in ancient Egypt . The “hour that satisfies” also occurs in the book of the day: “That makes the beauty of Re appear, that is the hour that satisfies”. This hour is mentioned two more times in the book of walking through eternity . In the PC1 version, the commentator has obviously confused the assignment of the "hour that satisfies", since he equated it with "the ninth hour of the night", although it can only be the first hour of the day. Apparently he connects "the people" with the work " Heaven of primeval times ", in which the people are "in the eighth gate", which leads to the "ninth hour". The newly compiled statement shows his difficulty in understanding why the sun moves away in the “ninth hour of the night”, although people cannot see the sun anyway. Consequently, he also introduced the “people in the duat” who are now able to see the sun that is there at that time. The wrong allocation clearly shows the fact that the "lesson that satisfies" was a carryover from other texts that the commentator no longer had.

The flame of Re is aimed at sunrise, as the land of Egypt looks like it is immersed in flames. The heart of Re appears in other religious texts mostly in connection with Thoth and the moon. In the Nutbuch, on the other hand, proximity to the subject of the Osirism myth is sought and the snake Apophis is characterized as an enemy of the sun, which Re must defeat anew every morning. The sole mention in the PC1 version is striking, while the "Sethos script" does not have Apophis as its content.

Representation of the groove as a heavenly cow

The next lines deal with the lightless edge of the world and the idea of the appearance of the groove, the back of which symbolizes the outside of the sky. The "tiredness" is again a popular Egyptian play on words, which is also used in the 58th scene of the gate book , where four times four "tired" are shown in the primeval waters . In the groove book, the sun never comes out of the upper edge area of the groove, since it emerges from the vulva, runs along under your body and finally re-enters your mouth. Thus the statement of the Groove book stands against the " Book of the Heavenly Cow ", where Re is on the back of the groove, which is shown as a cow. In terms of content, the contradicting statement becomes understandable again if one takes into account that the “Book of the Heavenly Cow” is about ideological ideas that show the emergence of the world order and the associated “human distance from God” as a basic motif. However, the Nutbuch has real observations on the content and tries to explain them. In the later chapter of the Dean there are some structural points of contact with the “Book of the Celestial Cow”.

The motif "Gods and transfigured, who do not dwell in the dark" shows again the closeness to the books of the afterlife , where gods and transfigured live in regions, the Re is illuminated every night and the damned in the dark, god-remote fringes of the Duat their "being in non-being" deadlines. In the PC1 version, this passage was historically separated and arranged in a textually distorted form. The commentator chooses new variants and creatively combines them into dramatic statements; for example, he describes the primeval darkness in comparison to the "Sethos script" as "even darker than that of the Duat".

Lines 39 to 72

The focus of this section of text is the list of all dean stars with the associated rise times in the Egyptian administrative calendar . In addition, entry, duration and emergence from the Duat of the sun god Re are described.

Excerpts from the Sethos scriptures (lines 39 to 72)	Excerpts from the PC1 / PC1a version (lines 39 to 72)
³⁹ What is done on 1st Achet I when the sopdet come up. ^40-54 [All stars on the Dean's List of Seti I are named]. ⁵⁵ (Re) enters the mouth of the groove inside the duat. ⁵⁶ Then he goes there inside her. ⁵⁹ The pillar house is where (Re) stays. ⁶⁰ (Re) enters in their first hour in the dark. ⁶³ (Re) goes to rest in life in the second hour of the night. ⁶⁴ He gives orders to the Westerners and makes plans in the Duat. ⁶⁵ So he goes back out to earth. ⁶⁶ Originated as rejuvenated like the first time. ⁶⁷ So he comes into being as the great god of Edfu . ⁷¹ Nuts head is the western horizon, her mouth in the west. ⁷² Nut's right arm is on the northwest side, ⁷² her left arm is on the southeast side.	³⁹ All these stars appear in the sky on 1st Achet I , ³⁹ when the Sothis (Sopdet) come forth together with Re, ³⁹ at the beginning of the year when there is no diminution. ³⁹ He (Re) moves along the way of the stars. ³⁹ Sothis, 18 stars are behind her and 18 stars are in front of her. ^40-54 [see contents of the Sethos scriptures] ⁵⁵ Through the mouth, that is, heaven, the Duat enters (Re). ⁵⁵ Look at the picture, the disc that's on your mouth. ⁵⁶ From this he comes forth and goes about in heaven. ⁵⁹ Pillar house, the place where (Re) goes down, is his name. ⁶⁰ He enters her mouth in the "hour that satisfies," ⁶⁰ in the third hour of the evening. ⁶⁰ Usually (Re) comes out of Nut in the “hour that satisfies” ⁶⁰ , that is the ninth hour of the night. ⁶³ [... in the land of life of the Duat in the second hour ...] ⁶⁴ (Re) gives orders for the Westerners ⁶⁴ and makes plans for the necropolis residents . ⁶⁵ (Re) reappears on earth. ⁶⁶ In Upper Egypt his strength is as great as the first time. ⁶⁷ The great God arises in Edfu. ^71-72 [cannot be read together as only fragments ].

Explanation lines 39 to 72

Diagonal star clock from the Middle Kingdom

The text on line 39 has a blank line. In this gap there was more information about the heliacal ascent of Sopdet. What “reduction” means in this context cannot therefore be determined exclusively, even if an ideal year most likely formed the basis for the dean lists, which was not directly related to the actual calendar.

The sequence of numbers “18 stars in front of and 18 stars behind Sothis” leads to a number of 37 decans with Sopdet in the middle and therefore initially appears incorrect. A closer look at the diagonal star clocks resolves this supposed contradiction, as a median strip divides the 36 deans into two halves. Sopdet usually appears as an image on the median, but without its function as a three-part Dean constellation . There are parallels to representations in Esna and other decant texts.

From line 55, the descriptions focus again on the course of the sun and place the beginning of the duat in the area of the mouth opening of Nut. This clear statement appears understandable in the understanding of ancient Egyptian mythological ideas. Statements made beforehand suggest that the Duat is on the ground or below, but these are subjective conclusions, as the Nutbuch itself does not make any reference to an underground location. The literal translation of “underworld” for the Duat is misleading and should therefore be understood as “ the land of the hereafter ”.

Horus of Edfu.

The sudden mention of the god of Edfu is the only concrete reference to earthly localities besides allusions to Heliopolis . With regard to the textual origin, the options for the groove image are Heliopolis, Edfu and El-Kab , whereby Edfu has a plausibility advantage from a cult-topographical point of view . Re takes on the role of the mighty solar Horus in the groove pattern, which goes particularly well with Behdeti , Edfu's winged sun . Although Heliopolis represented the actual cult center of the sun cult , the non-mention of the goddess Wadjet , who was based in Buto, is striking . Her position is occupied by the vulture goddess Nechbet, who was especially venerated in El-Kab. This results in an Upper Egyptian deity milieu in the Nutbuch .

The well-known connection between Sopdet and Nechbet also shows Upper Egyptian points of contact and refers to the return from Punt via Upper Egypt, which is why Nechbet offered himself as a figure of identification. The connection to Heliopolis is related to the sky books and shows a lower Egyptian tendency for this area . Evidence for the Lower Egyptian Wadjet is in the minority, which is related to the archaeological find , which, due to the local conditions, does not allow ancient traditions from the Nile Delta .

Furthermore, the different times of origin of the Nutbuch basic texts must be taken into account, the content of which shows a strong interest in Upper Egypt. The reference to the “pillar house” and the associated mythological proximity to the solar sanctuary in Heliopolis catches the eye. An interpretation in this direction leads to the conclusion that Re stayed in the temple area of Heliopolis. Overall, there is no clear picture that enables a reliable statement as to why there is enough room for speculation .

The reference to the “second night”, in which the journey from Re begins inside the groove, is also contained in the book of the night and makes it probable that the book of the night was understood as an ideal complement to the groove book. The mention of "plans of Re in the Duat" is a very common passage in cosmographic texts; There are six documents in the amduat alone .

As can often be observed elsewhere, the cardinal points of the groove are contradictory in the tradition with new theological explanatory models. The "western horizon" would correspond to the position of the descendant , while the sole term "west" means the already invisible area under the "western horizon". In terms of content, this equation fits in with the ideas of the re-closed mouth of the groove. The “southeastern arm” in the groove picture clearly refers to the Punt region and contains the mythological idea of the return of Sopdet with its heliacal rise, which actually takes place in the southeastern horizon.

Lines 73 to 84

The section on migratory birds , besides the Dean teaching the second known chapter that since the publication of the Niuserre season reliefs by Elmar Edel came to great prominence, as the statements of Nutbuches with the World Chamber in Abusir are related literary close. There is another connection to the Wenamun's travelogue , in which the migratory birds are also mentioned. The correspondence with the seven royal hymns in the papyrus pTurin CG 54031 is also striking .

Excerpts from the Sethos scriptures (lines 73 to 84)	Excerpts from the PC1 / PC1a version (lines 73 to 84)
⁷³ The nature of birds: their faces are human, ⁷⁴ while their shape is that of birds. ⁷⁵ Everyone speaks to his comrades in human language. ⁷⁶ Come to eat vegetables in the swamps, ⁷⁷ they settle under the light of heaven. ⁷⁸ They transform themselves into their bird form. ⁷⁹ Their nesting place is in the land of Qebehu , ⁸⁰ the Qebhu of the gods, where the birds come from. ⁸¹ (the nesting sites) extend from the northwest side ⁸² to the northeast side. ⁸³ It is open to the Duat, ⁸³ which is on its northern side. ⁸⁴ Nuts rump in the east, her head in the west.	⁷³ As for birds, their head is that of humans, ⁷⁴ their shape as […]. ⁷⁵ Each of them speaks in human language. ⁷⁶ The birds that come to Egypt, ⁷⁶ to eat the vegetables of the field, ⁷⁶ in all the swamps of the land. ⁷⁷ […] because the bas of the […] are positioned, ⁷⁸ The [scarabs?] Transform into a bird shape. ⁷⁹ The nest is made in Qebhu. ⁸⁰ The place […] is where the birds come from. ⁸¹ The birds emerge on Nut's northwest side. ⁸² The place where they are ⁸² extends to the southeast side of the sky. ⁸³ The place where the protected Bas are located, ⁸³ is open to the Duat on its northern side. ⁸³ When the name of the place is said, ⁸³ because that is where the protected and damned Bas are ⁸³ and (Re) will guide you to that place. ⁸⁴ When the locations of the back and the head ⁸⁴ are said to be east and west, it is because […].

Explanatory notes on lines 73 to 84

Representation of the ba bird.

The connection established between migratory birds and the Ba soul makes an identification with the Ba birds very likely, since they returned periodically to Egypt. The mention of food has parallels to the Bas in the island of flames in the 56th scene in the gate book , where the herbs / vegetables (semu) are also given as food. The migratory birds are also associated with the land of Qebhu in the world chamber in the sun sanctuary of Niuserre . Historical attempts to identify this area with the area around Nut, however, contradict the location information in the Nutbuch, since Qebhu is only named for the northern regions. In the south and southeast, on the other hand, is the Reteh-qabet .

According to the descriptions of the Qebhu, which lies in the primeval eclipse, it must apparently be a place on the edge of the Keku-semau . Whether this locality is in Egypt itself or outside the country is not mentioned in more detail, which is why an exact location is not possible. The reference to the Duat is problematic because on the one hand the north and on the other hand the west are mentioned. Locating Qebhu with the Duat seems impossible, since the Nutbuch only speaks of the north in this context and the commentator on the PC1 / PC1a versions would like to relocate the region to the west. The location of the duat itself represents an additional difficulty, which is by no means clear. Previous publications are only assumptions without explicit evidence.

On the basis of reports in the pyramid texts, attempts were made to localize in heavenly areas, whereby Rolf Krauss sees a connection to the southern sky. However, the arguments for the southern sky are based on a paperless basis, since the corresponding pyramid texts do not describe an exact location, but only mention the sky in general. Historians' conclusions therefore have the character of auxiliary hypotheses . The Nutbuch can bring the different concepts closer to this controversial question, as the goddess Nut on the one hand is heaven herself and on the other hand the entrance into her mouth is referred to as the northern entrance into the Duat. This fits very well with the alignments of the pyramids made in the Old Kingdom and the associated importance of the northern sky.

Between the basic text and the later comments in the PC1 / PC1a versions, the Duat's spiritual history is shifted from the north to the west. This leads to the finding that the commentator on the PC1 / PC1a versions incorporated new theological concepts into the old teachings that were already palpable in the Middle Kingdom .

Deans

Lines 85 to 103

The sun god Re only occupies a marginal position in the dean chapter, while Geb , Schu and Nut are the main actors. The increased appearance of the god Geb confirms the impression that was gained from the various scriptures that the groove image and the dean chapter originally did not belong together. In addition, the dean chapter is a mythical text, but the lettering on the groove image is descriptive. The joining of the two texts probably has a common interest in treatises of heavenly phenomena as a basis.

The dean chapter lines 85 to 103 are rearranged in the Tebtynis versions compared to the Sethos script. The analysis of the texts showed that the sequence in the Seti script represents the correct order. What is also striking is the much larger amount of text in the Tebtynis versions, which additionally comment on the short statements of the Seti script and / or add new theological explanatory models.

Excerpts from the Sethos scriptures (lines 85 to 103)	Excerpts from the PC1 / PC1a version (lines 85 to 103)
⁸⁵ The stars travel to the limits of the sky, ⁸⁶ on their (groove) outside in the night. When they appear, ⁸⁷ they will be seen. ⁸⁸ When they drive inside you during the day, ⁸⁹ they do not appear and are not seen. ⁹⁰ They come in behind this God, ⁹⁰ and they go out behind him. ⁹¹ So they ride behind him on the ridges of the Schu . ⁹² They rest in their places, ⁹³ after His Majesty (Re) has retired in the western horizon. ⁹⁴ They enter her mouth at the place of her head on the west. ⁹⁵ She eats them. ⁹⁶ So Geb argued with Nut because he was angry about eating her. ⁹⁷ Her name is mentioned as the sow that eats her piglets because she eats them. ⁹⁸ So her father Shu raised her by lifting her up on his head, ⁹⁹ saying, "Be careful." ¹⁰⁰ He shouldn't argue with her because she is eating children. ¹⁰⁰ She gives birth to them, they live, ¹⁰¹ they emerge daily from the place under their rump in the east, ¹⁰² as she (also) Re gives birth daily. ¹⁰³ One does not say her name as "Mother of God" until she gives birth (again). ¹⁰³ Not one thing falls in her.	¹⁰¹ The stars are daily on the vulva of the groove. ^99a is called the name of the one who is redeemed , ^99a when he moves out of the house of the building. ^99a The house of Geb is the land of the hereafter . ^99b The setting star is not called in the Duat ^99b until the rising from the land of the hereafter. ¹⁰⁰ Geb has no argument because Nut lets her children go under. ^97a It happens that the mother animal eats its piglets. ^{97a But} the mother animal is the sow from the birth house. ^97a It is always the females who eat their piglets. ⁹⁸ Her father Schu raised Nut because of her eating. ⁹⁶ Geb's union with Nut is union with evil. ^97b The name of the underworld stars is: The Eaten. ^93a The star that is with Re, ^93a goes down with him in the western horizon. ^93a 29 stars are on the way there. ^94a They will show their faces in the west. ^93b They know their rise when Re goes down. ^94b You step into the mouth of the groove to the west. ⁸⁸ They move through it by day, ⁸⁸ they are not seen. ⁸⁹ Those who appear in the day, ⁸⁹ these are the seven unseen stars. ⁹² The seven stars rest in their place in the west. ⁸⁵ The other 29 stars move to the clean place. ⁸⁶ They are outside of Nut at night. ¹⁰³ groove mother of the gods , called ¹⁰³ because it has the star born. ¹⁰³ Not one of them perishes.

Explanation of lines 85 to 103

The sky goddess Nut, supported by the air god Schu, above him the earth god Geb.

The dean's narrative is noteworthy for several reasons. First of all, the fact that Geb is obviously unfamiliar with the laws of cosmology and behaves in a very rude manner. This negative character assignment is not just limited to the Nutbuch. An example of this is the myth of the rape of Tefnut by Geb. It is also noticeable that the states of the present were generated from past misbehavior. The same motif can be found in the myth of the Book of the Celestial Cow and is also prominently represented in myths of other peoples, especially in the thematic equation of expulsion from paradise in the Old Testament . Typically it is people who are responsible for their own disaster in this genre of myths. Despite the same scheme, the Nutbuch narrative shows an essential difference, since the separation of heaven and earth arises from a battle between the gods.

Humans only play a minor role in the Nutbuch. In contrast to the other rite of punishment, the result of the divine dispute takes a positive turn. Without the lifting of the groove by Schu, no earthly life would be possible and creation would not have taken place. The worst catastrophe for an Egyptian therefore meant the coming down of the groove, which was regarded as synonymous with the end of all life.

Nut is mythologically equated with a sow that eats its piglets (stars). Geb cannot understand this act and starts an argument. Schu now lifts the groove up to separate the two. In the large day selection calendar it is stated for the 4th Schemu II that it would be calculated what Geb and Nut did with the gods. The character of this act appears in a negative context. “Eating the piglets” cannot be the reason for this, as only Nut eats the stars, but Geb is against it. It is also mentioned later that no piglet (star) is harmed.

The connection between Nut and a "piglet-eating deity" is very rarely found outside of the Nutbuch. The cause may be seen in the presence of several "pig deities". For example, Isis is also known as the " White Pig of Koptos ". What is striking is the number of piglets shown, which, like Nut, corresponds to the number of seven invisible deans. So far, only a fraction of the material in question has been published, which is why an exact comparison is not yet possible.

What should be emphasized in the Tebtynis texts is the information about the religious rites associated with the deans and their cycle. In the temples, every newly rising Dean star was celebrated through sacrifices and hymns. Similar actions are documented in papyrus pBM 10662 with the title “Instructions for the stars (seschem sebau)”. The descriptions of the cultic celebrations that took place at the beginning of the decades can often be found in Egyptian texts. The connection between “drinking days” also shows a clear reference to the goddesses Hathor , Sachmet , Bastet , Sopdet and Isis. The execution of rituals of "enemy annihilation" on these days round off the religious character of the associated festive days.

Particularly striking is the ban on "not being allowed to mention" the name of the dead Dean stars. Such taboos are only secondary and partially investigated in Egyptology for the Egyptian religion. Herodotus reported on the ban on pronouncing the name of Osiris publicly in certain contexts. The negative confession of Ramses VI., Who boasted that he did not pronounce the name of Tatenen , belongs to this subject area. The rite not to mention the name of the Pharaoh , but only to write it down and read it, is well attested . documented in detail in the " Teaching of a man for his son " and in sources that address "right behavior towards the Pharaoh".

Reasons for this taboo are to be seen in the reverence and fear of the respective deity, since the reception of negative magical powers was associated with public expression. In the case of the ban on pronouncing the Pharaoh's name, the main motive is likely to be the fear of magical consequences, which could result in possible defamation due to carelessness. In addition, the "hidden and secret names of certain gods" should be mentioned in the taboo field, which, although known and venerated, were not allowed to be "revealed to the public". In the case of the temporarily dead dean stars, the tabooing is tantamount to a protective measure, since these were under the care of the dangerous " Chatiu demons " and for the speaker a summoning of the demons would have catastrophic consequences, which according to his religious beliefs would have had catastrophic consequences Diseases and epidemics could manifest until death.

Sho as heh-god

The statement made “the Heh god he made” (PC1a) appears in connection with the hieroglyph that shows Schu in the arm position of the god Heh. At the same time, this representation is the hope for the infinite existence of the world. Both gods, Schu and Heh, are mostly equated. Amulets that show Heh as a deity are dubbed Schu. The most important source is the book of the heavenly cow, which speaks of eight Heh gods supporting the groove. In other texts, Schu himself is referred to as Heh.

The passage “They (the stars) will show their faces in the west” (PC1a) shows impressively the translation problems of the writer who let the dean's stars rise in the west, although he should have known that stars never rise in the west. On the other hand, the comment "Seven stars are not seen during the day" is a significant scientific finding, as the fact was known that the stars do not stay underground in the Duat, but "move along Nut's outside (sky)".

Lines 104 to 143

From line 104 the order of all text versions is identical again. Lines 104 to 143 deal mainly with the underworld and the subsequent rise. This is followed by a repetition and summary of what has already been said. The Tebtynis writings mostly show slight deviations in lines 104 to 143 and lead to a different religious interpretation of the Nutbuch.

Excerpts from the Sethos scriptures (lines 104 to 143)	Excerpts from the PC1 / PC1a version (lines 104 to 143)
¹⁰⁴ The star that goes to earth dies. ¹⁰⁵ He stays in the underworld for 70 days. ¹⁰⁶ This is how he resolves his evils for 70 days. ¹⁰⁸ The name life is not said to mean loosening. ¹⁰⁹ His evil hits the ground. ¹¹⁰ He is pure, he lives […] Geb. ¹¹¹ They live and show their heads in the east. ¹¹³ These are the heads of the gods. ¹¹⁶ So their bones fall to the ground, ¹¹⁶ when the bows rise from the bones. ¹¹⁷ So their tears fall and turn into fish. ¹¹⁸ The life of a star arises in the lake. ¹²⁰ It flutters upwards, ¹²¹ from the sea of images. ¹²² This is the life of the stars. ¹²⁵ So Geb became the prince of the gods. ¹³⁰ Thoth ordered the gods to find their heads. ¹³¹ This is how the (gods) heads came into being. You live. ¹³² Evils become people for 70 days. ¹³³ His lifetime arises in the underworld. ¹³⁵ At night the Bas emerge in the sky while driving. ¹³⁷ During the day they are not visible to people.	¹⁰⁴ The star that goes to earth rests in the underworld. ¹⁰⁵ He stays in the house of Geb for seven decades. ¹⁰⁶ During this time he solves his evils in the embalming workshop . ¹⁰⁸ The name life is said to release. ¹⁰⁹ After throwing off his evils, he rises. ¹¹⁰ He purifies himself, so he arises like Sothis . ¹¹¹ They will shine and rise in the east. ¹¹³ These are the first among the gods: Orion and Sothis. ¹¹⁶ So their evils fall to the earth, ¹¹⁶ and the Bas who fell to the earth come forth. ¹¹⁷ Her tear falls, becomes a fish, her form of water. ¹¹⁸ The star will touch the lake when it rises. ¹²⁰ He goes to heaven in his heavenly form, ¹²¹ in the other form, in the water form. ¹²² There is talk of the rising of the stars. ¹²⁵ There is talk of Geb becoming a prince of the gods. ¹³⁰ Thoth commanded that [the gods] should find their ascents. ¹³¹ Your risers were made. Geb initiated her life. ¹³² Evils become people. ¹³³ This is the origin of his lifetime in the underworld. ¹³⁵ The stars wander as they move in the sky. ¹³⁷ Its steps are invisible to the human face.

Explanation of lines 104 to 143

In the course of the course, the seventy-day invisibility period of the dean stars is discussed and viewed as a temporary real death. The equation of the duration of the embalming with the stay of the dean stars in the underworld corresponds to the original astronomical conditions and is intended to symbolize the close mythological connection to the deceased who are reborn after their death. The Senet game , whose characters represent the dead dean stars, is directly related . The players decide on their fate by winning or losing.

The subject of language taboos follows again, as only after seven decades can we talk about “ loosening ”, which is synonymous with a new life. The Tebtynis texts deduce an opposite interpretation from the Sethos script. The focus is no longer on the name of the actual process, but on the number seven, which is like a play on words . The associated expression “sefech” for the number seven is also paraphrased in other hieroglyphs with the term “sefech” for the meaning “loosening”. The temporary invisibility is understood as the “cleaning and regeneration phase”.

Depiction of the goddess Sothis

Different interpretations can be found in the "Rise of the Deans". In the Sethos scripture the "house of Geb" is the focus; in the Tebtynis writings, on the other hand, Sothis and Orion, which stand as a paradigm for the other dean stars. The connection with the "heads of the gods" is of great importance and makes the religious cults in the Egyptian religion understandable; for example when Amun von Opet "shows his head in the procession" every ten days, during whose ceremonies only the head of the otherwise veiled statue can be seen. Behind this rite is the important astronomical detail that the dean stars were not single stars, but represented a constellation in different numbers . The "head" stood for the first star of the constellation that appears when it rises. As soon as the “head star” becomes visible, the ascent is complete. In the case of Sothis, the "head star" corresponds to Sirius , which can be seen as a disc or star on the crown or head of the goddess. In this example, the Tebtynis versions show a clear contradiction in terms, as Sothis was also a dean constellation and at the same time stands as a paradigm for all other deans. The Orion paradigm also shows the “astronomical impossibility” of seventy days of staying in the underworld, since the constellation Orion consisted of several divided decans and the seventy days of invisibility were not correctly understood or ignored in the Tebtynis scriptures.

The formulations “the falling of the bones” or “the falling of evils” refer to the dying dean stars and their spent shells falling to earth. At the same time, the previously fallen bas will rise again as their regeneration phase is complete. This creates a cycle that is continuously repeated. The detail of the scribe should be emphasized, who emphasizes that the re-emergence takes place through the detachment of the star souls from their corpses, which are resting in the underworld. This is followed by the next play on words, which refers to the falling, dead-tired stars and compares them with tears (“remit”) and fish (“remu”). The play on words was based on the Egyptian belief system that word similarities reveal otherwise hidden references . In the example of tears, the Egyptians drew the conclusion that the word “tear” came from the tears of the gods. Analogous to the decan tears for fish, the tears of the sun god Re symbolized human tears as equating.

Lunar chapter

Lines 144 to 159

In the "Sethos-Schrift" and PC228 as well as PC497 the explanations about the moon follow directly on to the Dean chapter. PC1 only deals with the beginnings. PC496 also contains references to the deans. PC497 stuck to the template of the "Sethos script" and had the same gaps. Overall, the preparation caused great difficulties, since none of the versions has been completely preserved and is only available in fragments. In addition, there are cryptographic formulations that cannot always be inferred in connection with the texts, which is why the translations of the Tebtynis fragments do not lay claim to definitive validity in some places.

Excerpts from the Sethos scriptures (lines 144 to 159)	Excerpts PC1, PC228 and PC497 (lines 144 to 159)
¹⁴⁴ The second lunar day of the month is the feast of Horus . ¹⁴⁵ He equipped himself with both eyes during the month. ¹⁴⁶ The anniversary of the groove is the 28th lunar day of the month. ¹⁴⁷ She (Nut) endows her children with the year. ¹⁴⁸ The beginning arises when making the monthly moon. ¹⁵¹ It becomes night after the month ( new moon ). ¹⁵² This is the feast of the coming of Seth , ¹⁵² after he has fully grasped the two eyes of Horus. ¹⁵⁵ He (Horus) sat diminished with diminished strength. ¹⁵⁶ Isis took him ¹⁵⁷ and put it to protect the inside of her mother groove.	¹⁴⁴ The rising in the west on the second lunar day of the month ¹⁴⁴ is the feast of Horus. That is the beginning, ¹⁴⁴ when they complete the circle, namely the dissolution. ¹⁴⁴ [Version PC1 ends after this line] ^145-159 [Version PC 228 and PC 497 identical up to line 159]

Explanatory notes on lines 144 to 159

Standing Horus

First of all, we are talking about the second day of the lunar month, which is synonymous with the first visibility of the moon after the new moon. The "birthday of the moon" had a special meaning in ancient Egypt. The “rising in the west” does not really take place, of course, since no star rises in the west. The statement is to be understood in such a way that the new light is first visible in the west in the evening. The indication of the 28th day of the lunar month as the "anniversary of the groove" is statistically correct. The exact mythological meaning of the name is unclear. The naming of the 28th day instead of the assumed 29th day seems strange at first.

The beginning of the lunar month calendar on the 29th day is quite common. In the festival calendar of Medinet Habu there is a “list of the festivals of heaven”, which begins on the 29th day. The same mentions can be found on Tebtynis fragments, where three different monthly lists also begin with the 29th day. The background is the real astronomical fact that on the 29th day normally the last sighting of the waning crescent moon can be made as so-called old light . The length of the lunar months is variable and allows exceptions for the 28th day. The groove book is therefore based on the earliest possible time of the last visibility.

In fact, the groove book not only mentions the old light in detail in the text, but is also shown in the groove picture of the "Sethos script". A small crescent moon can be seen on the back of the groove, at the base of the thigh. This position, which shows a rise in the east just before sunrise, is only possible at the end of a lunar month. Attempts to interpret the "croissant of the moon" pointing to the left as a waxing moon are in vain, as the orbit of the stars runs from the vulva of the groove on their belly to their mouths. In this respect, the "croissant of the moon" shows the direction of movement of the celestial body, which in turn is characteristic of the waning moon.

In addition, the number 28 had symbolic power. So the lunar Osiris is assigned 28 years of life. In the Nutbuch, the lunar month days are associated with his eye. The Horus in the lunar chapter takes on the role from the "Horus and Seth myth " and represents the vulnerable son of Isis. In the lunar chapter it has nothing to do with the sun, but is identified with the moon. This fact proves that the Moon Chapter was initially an independent text before it was combined with the Nutbuch.

Mouth opening ritual

From line 151 the lunar month is almost over. The following new moon is called night, which is established as the result of the "seizure of the eyes by Seth". Horus is now sitting in the form of a “Sem-Priest” in his house, the “House of the Month”, which is mentioned several times in other texts as “Hut-sched-abed” (Kom Ombo: “Per-sched-abed”). The terminology shows a Memphite connection to Ptah .

The identification of the “Sem priest” with Horus is also documented in the mouth opening ritual , where the “Sem priest” takes on the role of the son opposite the statue to be made. Isis now joins them and entrusts Horus to her mother Nut in a weakened and endangered state. The phrase “put into it” relates to the brief appearance in the morning sky, which is further elaborated by “opening the eye”. The following gaps in the text up to line 159 suggest that the morning barque Mandjet is to be expected in this context.

The equation with “Horus who is in his house”, who is named as god in a similar context, is not certain, whereby a determinative of a pig can also be seen, which is based on the myth of “ damage to the moon by a black pig “Alludes to lunar reference. On a disk of a five-part faience container is a pig surrounded by 15 dots that represent the lunar days of the month. The object can be dated to the Middle Kingdom and is related to the lunar pig sacrifice.

Planetary chapter

Lines x + 75 to x + 94

A clear separation is marked in the "Sethos script"; the text columns do not extend to the lower edge of the inscription, but end at an empty rectangle. The question arises as to whether this rectangle was filled in in the older templates. The incomplete text finding is noticeable. In contrast, PC 228 has been preserved almost completely. The content, however, was very often to the point of nonsense emended . Overall, the finding can be established that the editor of the PC228 version no longer understood the older templates and often made incorrect connections. Under these circumstances, therefore, only a sparse statement can be made.

Excerpts from the Sethos scriptures (lines x + 75 to x + 77)	Excerpts from the PC228 version (lines x + 75 to x + 94)
^{x + 75} That is the arising of Horus in the presence of Osiris ^{x + 75} in her hands wrapped around him. ^{x + 77} This is how Horus was built when he was a youth. ^{x + 80-94} [version missing]	^{x + 75} That is the arising of Horus in the presence of Osiris ^{x + 75} in her hand, in the secret [place]. ^{x + 77} She built Horus, who arose in the presence of Osiris. ^{x + 80} Geb went around on the feast of the 15th day . ^{x + 81-82} Isis and Nephthys went about and found him. ^{x + 83} He entered the boat of enduring. ^{x + 84} He did not go with them because they kept him away. ^{x + 85} Iris and Nephthys worked as embalmers. ^{x + 86} They took out the mehet of the material of Anubis . ^{x + 87-88} She breastfed and bandaged him. ^{x + 89-90} Thoth went about and got to building ^{x + 91-92} Thoth found Horus in the boat. Geb ordered the survey. ^{x + 94} Horus raises the sky on the festival of the New Light Day , ^{x + 94} by living on the Day of Coming.

Explanations lines x + 75 to x + 94

Crescent state shortly before and after the new moon .

The explanation of the present text, which reports on the rearing of Horus, is to be interpreted as a mythological basis for the creation of the full moon . The relationship between the day of the full moon and the day of the new light seems strange, as does other connections, and shows that two texts with different topics were edited together . It would be conceivable that a template initially contained the phase of the waning moon up to the new light, since the reference to embalming would fit well here . Without mentioning the 15th day, the text structure is consistent with the waxing moon phase. Since the signs for the new light and the 15th day were very similar in older times, the text content is understandable under the aspect of the prescription.

Geb and Thoth are the gods who catch the moon with a net on the new light day. In this context, the raising of Horus is to be understood as the raising of the net. The action takes place in a boat , the bow and stern of which are equated with the cardinal points east / west. The images in Edfu and Dendera show the barque motif particularly clearly. The connection between the “net scene of the capture of the moon” and the “fabric of Anubis” reveals the association with the mummy bandages as well as with the “fur character” of Anubis, since the “Mehet (fur sack)” is mentioned.

literature

Jan Assmann : The grave of the Mutirdis. von Zabern, Mainz 1977, ISBN 3-8053-0042-5 .
Henri Frankfort: The Cenotaph of Seti I at Abydos (with chapters by Adriaan de Buck and Battiscombe Gunn). Egypt Exploration Society, London 1933.
Erik Hornung : Two Ramesside royal tombs - Ramses IV and Ramses VII von Zabern, Mainz 1990, ISBN 3-8053-1067-6 .
Hans-Otto Lange, Otto Neugebauer : Papyrus Carlsberg No. 1 - A hieratic-demotic cosmological text. Munksgaard, Copenhagen 1940.
Christian Leitz : Ancient Egyptian star clocks. Peeters, Leuven 1995, ISBN 90-6831-669-9 .
Christian Leitz: Studies on Egyptian Astronomy. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1991, ISBN 3-447-03157-3 .
Otto Neugebauer, Richard-Anthony Parker : Egyptian astronomical Texts (EAT) - The early decans. Brown University Press, Rhode Island 1960.
Alexandra von Lieven : Floor plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. The Carsten Niebuhr Institute of Ancient Eastern Studies (among others), Copenhagen 2007, ISBN 978-87-635-0406-5 .
Alexandra von Lieven: The sky over Esna. A case study of religious astronomy in Egypt using the example of the cosmological ceiling and architrave inscriptions in the Temple of Esna. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 2000, ISBN 3-447-04324-5 .

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. The Carsten Niebuhr Institute of Ancient Eastern Studies (among others), Copenhagen 2007.
↑ Erik Hornung: Two Ramesside royal tombs. Ramses IV. And Ramses VII. Von Zabern, Mainz 1990, pp. 89-96.
^ Henri Frankfort: The Cenotaph of Seti I at Abydos (with chapters by Adriaan de Buck and Battiscombe Gunn). Egypt Exploration Society, London 1933.
↑ Harco Willems: The world of the coffin texts: Proceedings of the symposium held on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Adriaan de Buck, Leiden December 17-19, 1992. Nederlands Institut voor het Nabije Oosten, Leiden 1996, ISBN 90-6258 -209-5 .
↑ Jan Assmann: The grave of the Mutirdis. von Zabern, Mainz 1977, pp. 85-88.
↑ Hans-Otto Lange, Otto Neugebauer: Papyrus Carlsberg No. 1. A hieratic-demotic cosmological text. Munksgaard, Copenhagen 1940.
↑ Winfried Barta: Comparative studies on four underworld books. Lang, Frankfurt a. M. 1990, ISBN 3-631-42143-5 .
↑ Alexandre Piankoff, Natacha Rambova: Mythological papyri. The symbolism of the papyri. Pantheon Books, New York 1957, No. 3, 5, 6, 16, 17, 30.
↑ ^a ^b ^c Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, p. 42.
^ Christian Leitz: Studies on Egyptian Astronomy. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1991, pp. 49-57.
↑ Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, p. 43.
↑ ^a ^b Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, p. 44.
↑ Kurt Sethe: The ancient Egyptian pyramid texts. Based on the paper prints and photographs of the Berlin Museum - Part 1. Olms, Hildesheim 2001 (reprint from 1908), ISBN 3-487-02593-0 , p. 315.

↑ Arielle Kozloff and a .: Egypt's dazzling sun. Amenhotep III and his world. Cleveland Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press, Cleveland 1992, ISBN 0-940717-16-6 , pp. 336-337.

^ Ronald Wells: The Mythology of Nut and the Birth of Ra. In: Studies on ancient Egyptian culture. (SAK) Vol. 19, 1992, pp. 305-321.

↑ Harco Willems: The coffin of Heqata (Cairo JdE 36418). A case study of Egyptian funerary culture of the Early Middle Kingdom. Peeters, Leuven 1996, ISBN 90-6831-769-5 , pp. 262-270.

↑ Rolf Krauss: Astronomical Concepts and Concepts of the Beyond in the Pyramid Texts. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1997, ISBN 3-447-03979-5 , pp. 254-255.

↑ Arno Egberts: In quest of meaning. A study of the ancient Egyptian rites of consecrating the meret chests and driving the calves. Nederlands Institut voor het Nabije Oosten, Leiden 1995, ISBN 90-6258-208-7 , pp. 292-293.

↑ Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, p. 141.

^ Toby Wilkinson: Early Dynastic Egypt. Routledge, London 2000, ISBN 0-415-18633-1 , pp. 104, 286-287, 292, 308-309, 331-333 and 335.

↑ Elmar Edel: On the inscriptions on the seasonal reliefs of the World Chamber from the solar sanctuary of Niuserre. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1961–1963.

^ Virginia Condon: Seven royal hymns of the Ramesside period ,. Papyrus Turin CG 54031. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich 1978, ISBN 3-422-00830-6 , pp. 11, 19, 28-30 and 80.

^ John-Coleman Darnell: The enigmatic netherworld books of the Solar-Osirian Unity. Cryptographic compositions in the tombs of Tutankhamun, Ramesses VI and Ramesses IX. Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht 2004, ISBN 3-7278-1469-1 , pp. 379-380.

↑ Rolf Krauss: Astronomical Concepts and Concepts of the Beyond in the Pyramid Texts. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1997, ISBN 3-447-03979-5 , pp. 207-215.

↑ ^a ^b Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, pp. 156–157.

↑ Robert Chadwick: Celestial Alignments And The Soul-Shafts Of The Khufu Pyramid. In: Journal of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities. (JSSEA) Vol. 28, 2001, pp. 15-25 and In: Nicole Cloth: It will be put down as a document. Festschrift for Hartwig Altenmüller on his 65th birthday. Buske, Hamburg 2003, ISBN 3-87548-341-3 , p. 455.

↑ Herodotus : Histories. II 61, II 170f.

↑ scene from the Papyrus Hunnefer to 1290 v. Chr.

↑ Dimitri Meeks: Mythes et léilles du Delta d'après le papyrus Brooklyn 47.218.84. Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale (IFAO), Cairo 2006, ISBN 2-7247-0427-4 , pp. 14–15 and 218–220.

↑ Florence-Dunn Friedman: Gifts of the Nile - Ancient Egyptian Faience. Thames and Hudson, London 1998, ISBN 0-911517-65-0 , pp. 137 and 218.

[U-1] Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. The Carsten Niebuhr Institute of Ancient Eastern Studies (among others), Copenhagen 2007.

[2] Erik Hornung: Two Ramesside royal tombs. Ramses IV. And Ramses VII. Von Zabern, Mainz 1990, pp. 89-96.

[3] Henri Frankfort: The Cenotaph of Seti I at Abydos (with chapters by Adriaan de Buck and Battiscombe Gunn). Egypt Exploration Society, London 1933.

[4] Harco Willems: The world of the coffin texts: Proceedings of the symposium held on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Adriaan de Buck, Leiden December 17-19, 1992. Nederlands Institut voor het Nabije Oosten, Leiden 1996, ISBN 90-6258 -209-5 .

[5] Jan Assmann: The grave of the Mutirdis. von Zabern, Mainz 1977, pp. 85-88.

[6] Hans-Otto Lange, Otto Neugebauer: Papyrus Carlsberg No. 1. A hieratic-demotic cosmological text. Munksgaard, Copenhagen 1940.

[7] Winfried Barta: Comparative studies on four underworld books. Lang, Frankfurt a. M. 1990, ISBN 3-631-42143-5 .

[8] Alexandre Piankoff, Natacha Rambova: Mythological papyri. The symbolism of the papyri. Pantheon Books, New York 1957, No. 3, 5, 6, 16, 17, 30.

[L42-9] Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, p. 42.

[10] Christian Leitz: Studies on Egyptian Astronomy. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1991, pp. 49-57.

[11] Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, p. 43.

[L44-12] Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, p. 44.

[13] Kurt Sethe: The ancient Egyptian pyramid texts. Based on the paper prints and photographs of the Berlin Museum - Part 1. Olms, Hildesheim 2001 (reprint from 1908), ISBN 3-487-02593-0 , p. 315.

[14] Arielle Kozloff and a .: Egypt's dazzling sun. Amenhotep III and his world. Cleveland Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press, Cleveland 1992, ISBN 0-940717-16-6 , pp. 336-337.

[15] Ronald Wells: The Mythology of Nut and the Birth of Ra. In: Studies on ancient Egyptian culture. (SAK) Vol. 19, 1992, pp. 305-321.

[16] Harco Willems: The coffin of Heqata (Cairo JdE 36418). A case study of Egyptian funerary culture of the Early Middle Kingdom. Peeters, Leuven 1996, ISBN 90-6831-769-5 , pp. 262-270.

[17] Rolf Krauss: Astronomical Concepts and Concepts of the Beyond in the Pyramid Texts. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1997, ISBN 3-447-03979-5 , pp. 254-255.

[18] Arno Egberts: In quest of meaning. A study of the ancient Egyptian rites of consecrating the meret chests and driving the calves. Nederlands Institut voor het Nabije Oosten, Leiden 1995, ISBN 90-6258-208-7 , pp. 292-293.

[19] Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, p. 141.

[20] Toby Wilkinson: Early Dynastic Egypt. Routledge, London 2000, ISBN 0-415-18633-1 , pp. 104, 286-287, 292, 308-309, 331-333 and 335.

[21] Elmar Edel: On the inscriptions on the seasonal reliefs of the World Chamber from the solar sanctuary of Niuserre. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1961–1963.

[22] Virginia Condon: Seven royal hymns of the Ramesside period ,. Papyrus Turin CG 54031. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich 1978, ISBN 3-422-00830-6 , pp. 11, 19, 28-30 and 80.

[23] John-Coleman Darnell: The enigmatic netherworld books of the Solar-Osirian Unity. Cryptographic compositions in the tombs of Tutankhamun, Ramesses VI and Ramesses IX. Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht 2004, ISBN 3-7278-1469-1 , pp. 379-380.

[24] Rolf Krauss: Astronomical Concepts and Concepts of the Beyond in the Pyramid Texts. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1997, ISBN 3-447-03979-5 , pp. 207-215.

[L156-25] Alexandra von Lieven: Plan of the course of the stars. The so-called groove book. Copenhagen 2007, pp. 156–157.

[26] Robert Chadwick: Celestial Alignments And The Soul-Shafts Of The Khufu Pyramid. In: Journal of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities. (JSSEA) Vol. 28, 2001, pp. 15-25 and In: Nicole Cloth: It will be put down as a document. Festschrift for Hartwig Altenmüller on his 65th birthday. Buske, Hamburg 2003, ISBN 3-87548-341-3 , p. 455.

[27] Herodotus : Histories. II 61, II 170f.

[28] scene from the Papyrus Hunnefer to 1290 v. Chr.

[29] Dimitri Meeks: Mythes et léilles du Delta d'après le papyrus Brooklyn 47.218.84. Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale (IFAO), Cairo 2006, ISBN 2-7247-0427-4 , pp. 14–15 and 218–220.

[30] Florence-Dunn Friedman: Gifts of the Nile - Ancient Egyptian Faience. Thames and Hudson, London 1998, ISBN 0-911517-65-0 , pp. 137 and 218.