The Book of the Dead and Elysian Fields

[admin]

19 - (Thebes) Der el Medineh-Tomb and Mortuary Chapel of the Theban Official Sen-Nezem. -- The embodiment of the body of Sen-Nezem by the God Anubis, whose function was connected with the interment.

[admin]

20 - (Thebes) Der el Medineh-Tomb and Mortuary Chapel of the Theban Official Sen-Nezem. -- This is a complete picture of the Egyptian Elysian Fields, or Paradise. The whole region is seen surrounded by water with two principal streams dividing it. Above is a picture of the Sun-God, in his morning boat, adored by two apes. The God-falcon-headed, is crowned with the sun-disc, round which a snake is coiled: he holds an Ankh before him. The long island at the bottom is covered with flowering plants and shrubs of various kinds, so also is the next division at the broader island or tract of land. It is covered with fruit trees, among which date and Dom palms are conspicuous. Above the fruit trees, we see Sen-Nezem ploughing with two cows, one black, the other white, while his wife sows behind him; further, the pair are busy pulling up flax by the roots. Beyond is a large field of yellow grain, which Sen-Nezem is reaping with a flint-hook, with serrated teeth, taking the ears only. His wife gleaning behind him, puts the ears into a basket. At the right end of the field of standing grain, Sen-Nezem is seated before a table of food and drink, and he also inhales the fragrance of a lotus. Above the river of blue water of the Wheat and Barley Nome, there is another division of the Garden, where, to the left Sen-Nezem and his wife, kneeling on a heap of yellow grain, are adoring a group of five gods -- all seated. At the further end of Ra-hotep the son of Sen-Nezem, paddling in a papyrus boat.

[admin]

21 - (Thebes) Der el Medineh-Tomb and Mortuary Chapel of the Theban Official Sen-Nezem. -- Sen-Nezem and his wife Ai-nafert appear here adoring two rows of Gods, who are seated within a pavilion with a cobra-frieze. Above, are the jackal guardians of the tomb, with a small lotus-crowned jar between; while over all is the ring of infinity, the sign for water, and a red vase with a sacred eye on either side. The Deities, who are all seated on Maat, Goddess of Truth, are not named individually. Horus or Ra, the head of the lower row, is followed by three pairs of male and female deities alternately. Osiris leads the upper row and behind him are three red-faced Gods with two green-faced Goddesses between. The three horizontal lines of inscription seen between the two rows of the deities is a part of a hymn to the Setting Sun included in chapter 15., B.3, of the Book of the Dead.

[admin]

22 - (Thebes) Temple of Der el Medineh-Mortuary scene representing the weighing of the heart of the deceased. The first figure is the Goddess of Truth -- Maat, and before her walks the soul of the deceased, who is about to enter the Hall of the Double Truth, in order that his heart may be weighed. He is faced by a second figure of Maat as he enters the Hall. We then see his heart weighed in the balance against the feather of Truth. The God Horus holds the plumb of the scales, and Anubis assists. Next we see Toth noting down the judgment of the scales. We then see the young Horus seated upon the crook, the symbol of dominion; and beside him there is a fearful monster. If the ordeal of the scales has been successfully passed, the soul of the deceased will be claimed by the youthful Horus, the mediator between man and his maker; but if he has failed in the trial, he will be devoured by this creature.

[admin]

23 - (Thebes) Mortuary Chapels of the Nobles. The Mortuary Chapel of Ramose. Well-grouped women are seen wailing and gesticulating, and a number of servants are bringing offerings of lotus flowers, wine etc. Next there are some more weeping women, from whose eyes the tears flow and in front of them are the yellow and red clad figures of priestesses or funeral dancers.

[admin]

24 - (Thebes) The Mortuary Chapel of Ramose, Vizir of Egypt during the early years of Amenhotep the Fourth (Akhnaton). -- A representation of Ramose seated beside his wife Ptahmeryt, behind whom are Amenhotep, the brother of Ramose, and his daughter very beautifully and delicately executed in relief, and cut in the natural lime stone. It is worth while to note that the reliefs have never been painted according to the usual custom, and that the eyes are painted in thin black lines pointed at the ends.

[admin]

25 - (Thebes) Mortuary Chapels of the Nobles -- The Mortuary Chapel of Userhat (a tutor and scribe in the reign of Amenhotep the Second -- B.C. 1448). Userhat is seen seated with his wife and sister on elaborate chairs in Paradise under a fig-tree burdened with fruit, amidst which the wagtails flit. They are resting their feet on wooden boards and drinking the water of life from golden cups. There are garlands of flowers under the chairs with which they may deck themselves. Above the two women, their souls flutter in the form of human-headed birds. To them a tree-goddess, who rises out of the lake, which lies before them, offers bread, figs, grapes, a honey-comb, and pours from a vase the water which they are drinking. Userhat stretches out his hand to take one of the figs. Between him and the goddess, the "T" shaped lake is to be seen at which the souls of Userhat and his wife, in the form of semi-human birds, drink the water from the hollow of their hands.

[admin]

26 - (Thebes) Mortuary Chapels of the Nobles -- The Mortuary Chapel of Nekht (a scribe of the granaries at the middle of the 18th dynasty). A representation of the mortuary fast. The guests are seen seated upon grass mats, in the meantime women are talking to one another. A nude waitress is putting a collar of flowers around the neck of one of the guests. Three women are entertaining them by playing upon the lute and harp, and by dancing; while a blind harper also makes music for their edification.

[admin]

27 - (Thebes) Mortuary Chapels of the Nobles -- The Mortuary Chapel of Nekht (a scribe of the granaries at the middle of the 18th dynasty). -- In the top Nekht is seen hunting birds amongst the reeds, into which he has penetrated in his boat. His household are enjoying the sport with him. He is holding in one hand a decoy, and in the other a boomerang. A charming figure of his little daughter is seen as she points to the fish which her father had speared from a boat, and turns her face fondly up to him. Below this, there is the representation of a vineyard and a wine-press. In the last row, are representations of plucking poultry.

[admin]

28 - (Thebes) Mortuary Chapels of the Nobles -- The Mortuary Chapel of Menna (superintendent of the estates of the king and of Amen, at the middle of the 18th dynasty). -- In the top row from left to right, a slave is seen kissing the foot of the overseer, the lands are measured by means of a rope, from which the knobs, that assured the correctness of the measurement, have been struck out by the avenger, in order that Menna may never again count his acres. In the second row, Menna's chariot and servants await to carry him to his fields, the quantity of his grain is recorded by the scribes; Menna stands under a canopy while servants bring him drink. In the third row, Menna sits under a canopy, outside of which is a tree with birds-nests built in it. Scenes of reaping follow.