Amduat 2
Amduat 2
Amduat 2
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ﺇﻥ ﺍﻟﺘﺨﻁﻴﻁ ﺍﻟﻔﺭﻴﺩ ﻟﺤﺠﺭﺍﺕ ﻭﻤﻤﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻬﺭﻡ ﺍﻷﻜﺒﺭ ﺭﺒﻤﺎ ﻴﻌﻜﺱ ﻤﺤﺎﻭﻟﺔ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﻠﻭﻙ
ﺍﻟﻘﺩﺍﻤﻰ ﻟﺘﺼﻭﻴﺭ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻡ ﺍﻵﺨﺭ ﺍﻟﺩﻭﺍﺕ ،ﻓﺄﻭﺼﺎﻑ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻡ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﻋﺒﺭﺕ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ ﻨﺼﻭﺹ
ﻭﻤﻨﺎﻅﺭ ﺍﻟﻜﺘﺏ ﺍﻟﺩﻴﻨﻴﺔ ﻤﺜل ﺍﻻﻤﻰ ﺩﻭﺍﺕ ،ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻭﺍﺒﺎﺕ ،ﻭﺍﻷﺭﺽ ﺘﻌﻜﺱ ﻨﻔﺱ ﺍﻟﻤﻭﻀﻭﻋﺎﺕ
ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﻡ ﺘﺠﺴﻴﺩﻫﺎ ﻓﻲ ﻋﻤﺎﺭﺓ ﺍﻟﻬﺭﻡ ﺍﻷﻜﺒﺭ.
ﻟﻘﺩ ﺃﺼﺒﺢ ﺍﻟﻌﺩﻴﺩ ﻤﻥ ﻋﻠﻤﺎﺀ ﺍﻟﻤﺼﺭﻴﺎﺕ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻗﺘﻨﺎﻉ ﻜﺒﻴﺭ ﺃﻥ ﺍﻟﺘﺨﻁﻴﻁ ﺍﻟﻔﺭﻴﺩ ﻭﺍﻟﺴﻤﺎﺕ
ﺍﻟﻤﻌﻤﺎﺭﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﻤﻴﺯﺓ ﻟﻠﻬﺭﻡ ﺍﻷﻜﺒﺭ ﺘﻌﺯﻭ ﺒﺎﻷﺴﺎﺱ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺃﺴﺒﺎﺏ ﺩﻴﻨﻴﺔ.،ﻭﻟﻜﻨﻬﻡ ﺘﺭﻜﻭﺍ ﺍﻟﻌﺩﻴﺩ
ﻤﻥ ﺍﻷﺴﺌﻠﺔ ﺒﻼ ﺇﺠﺎﺒﺔ .ﻓﻰ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﺃﺤﺎﻭل ﺃﻥ ﺍﻗﺩﻡ ﺘﻔﺴﻴﺭ ﻟﺘﺨﻁﻴﻁ ﺍﻟﺤﺠﺭﺍﺕ
ﻭﺍﻟﻤﻤﺭﺍﺕ ﺩﺍﺨل ﺍﻟﻬﺭﻡ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﻴﺭ ﻓﻰ ﻀﻭﺀ ﺍﻟﻌﻘﻴﺩﺓ ﺍﻷﻭﺴﻴﺭﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺸﻤﺴﻴﺔ.
ﺇﻥ ﺍﻟﻬﺭﻡ ﻴﺒﺩﻭ ﺒﺎﻟﻨﺴﺒﺔ ﻟﻲ ﻫﺒﺔ ﻤﻥ ﻤﻠﻙ ﻋﻅﻴﻡ ﻟﻸﺠﻴﺎل ﺍﻟﺘﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﻟﻴﻌﻜﺱ ﻟﻬﻡ ﻓﻜﺭ ﺴﺎﺒﻘﻴﻬﻡ
ﻋﻥ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻡ ﺍﻵﺨﺭ ،ﺤﻴﺙ ﻴﺘﺤﺩ ﺍﻟﻪ ﺍﻟﺸﻤﺱ ﺭﻉ ﻤﻊ ﺠﺴﺩﻩ ﺍﻭﺴﻴﺭ ،ﻭﺒﺫﻟﻙ ﻴﻌﺎﺩ ﻤﻴﻼﺩﻩ
ﻭﺘﺘﺠﺩﺩ ﺤﻴﺎﺘﻪ ﻟﻴﺸﺭﻕ ﻤﻥ ﺠﺩﻴﺩ ﻤﻊ ﺍﻟﻤﻠﻙ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻭﻓﻰ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻷﻓﻕ ﺍﻟﺸﺭﻗﻲ )ﺃﻓﻕ ﺨﻭﻓﻭ(
Abstract:
Many Egyptologists become sure that the strange planning, and the
unique architectural features of the Great Pyramid were mainly due
to religious reasons. But they left many questions unanswered. In
this essay, I will try to explain the chambers and passages system of
the pyramid in the light of the Solar-Osirian beliefs.
By
4
W.Marsham.Adams, The Book of the Master of the Hidden Place (1933); B.Steward, History
and Significance of the Great Pyramid (1935).
5
J.Desalvo, The Complete Pyramid Sourcebook (2003) 109f.
death would accompany the sun god Re in his journey in the
heaven, and rise with him every morning, but how could the
deceased become Osiris and descend with him to the Underworld,
and at the same time become Re and ascend with him to heaven.
The religious books tried to find a solution of this question, and
they succeeded to find a satisfactory answer to this difficult
question. They believed that Osiris was the body, which descended
to the Underworld followed by all the blessed, and Re was the bA,
which was separated from the body at the death and ascended to
heaven with the souls of all the blessed dead. As the life is renewed
by the union of soul and body, it is renewed as well by the union of
Re and Osiris every night6.
These ideas were known in the pyramid texts, they were understood
through the texts without illustrations. But they appear more clearly
in the books of the Netherworld which were spread in the New
Kingdom.
6
E. Hornung, Die Nachtfahrt der Sonne: eine altägyptische Beschreibung des Jenseits,
Düsseldorf (1998), 95; W. Barta, Osiris als Mutterleib des Unterweltlichen Sonnengottes in
den Jenseitsbüchern des Neuen Reiches, JEOL29, (1985-1986).
The chamber measures 8.36 m in a north-south orientation, 14.08 m
in an east-west orientation and is a maximum of 5.03 m high. The
uneven ground in the eastern part is up to 1.30 m deeper than the
level of the corridor. In the eastern part of the rock chamber a shaft
leads into the depths.7
I agree with Stadelmann, that this place was the hell of Soker rstAw,
that must be crossed by the deceased (Re) to enter the six division
of Amduat where he united with Osiris.12
Just 98 meters from the original entrance, in the right side of the
descending passage we find the entrance of the shaft which follows
7
R.Stadelmann, Die ägyptischen Pyramiden, 113.
8
M.Haase, Eine Stätte für die Ewigkeit. Der Pyramidenkomplex des Cheops aus baulicher,
architektonischer und kulturhistorischer Sicht. von Zabern (Mainz; 2004) 35.
9
R.Stadelmann, Die ägyptischen Pyramiden, 114.
10
R.Stadelmann: Die ägyptischen Pyramiden, 121
11
E. Hornung, Das Amduat. Die Schrift des Verborgenen Raums. Teil I: Text, ÄA 7
(Wiesbaden, 1963) 80ff.
12
E. Hornung, Das Amduat,109f.
an irregular path through the masonry of the pyramid to connect the
underground chamber and the descending passage with the
beginning of the horizontal passage, which leads to the so- called
Queen Chamber.(Fig.3)
13
V. Maragioglio, C. Rinaldi, L´Architettura Delle Piramidi Menfite Parte IV La Grande
Piramide di Cheope. (Torino, 1965) Band 1,140; R.Stadelmann, Die ägyptischen Pyramiden;
117f.
which unlike those in the King's Chamber that immediately slope
upwards, are horizontal for around 2 m before sloping upwards14.
The function of these shafts was unknown. Also the purpose of the
niche was unidentified. Petri believed that in it a statue was
located.15 Lehner believed that it was used as place for the Ka statue
and assumed that the Queen's Chamber plays here the role of the
serdab.16
14
For more information about these shafts see: R.Stadelmann, R.Gantenbrink, Die
sogenannten Luftkanäle der Cheopspyramide. Modellkorridore für den Aufstieg des Königs
zum Himmel. In: MDAIK 50, (1994) 285f.
15
R.Stadelmann, Die ägyptischen Pyramiden,118; F.Petrie,The Pyramids and Temples of
Gizeh (London,1883), 136f.
16
M.Lehner, Geheimnis der Pyramiden (München,1997)111.
17
Pyr.703-705; R.O. Faulkner, The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts (Oxford, 1962)132.
18
E. Hornung, Das Amduat; E. Hornung, Das Buch von den Pforten des Jenseits. Teil I:Text,
AH7 (Genf 1979) ; A. Piankoff, Le livre des quererts (Kairo 1953) ; J.A.Roberson, The Book
of the Earth: A study of ancient Egyptian symbol-system and the evolution of New Kingdom
cosmographic models. unpublished Ph.D.dissertation; (Pennsylvania Univesity,2007)
This unification took place in the depth mDAt19of the underworld, in
the middle of the journey, and this applied to the Queen's Chamber,
which lies exactly half-way between the north and south faces of
the pyramid.
The body of Osiris, when he united with Re, was named StAt namely
the mystery the "secret self", in which Re was rejuvenated during
the night, and through which he was born in the east place, the body
which embraced Re in the night and gave him birth in the
morning20.
sic sic
19
I. Hegenbarth-Reichardt, Der Raum der Zeit(Eine Untersuchung zu den altägyptischen
Vorstellungen und Konzeptionen von Zeit und Raum anhand des Unterweltbuches Amduat),
(Wiesbaden, 2006) 222.
20
J.C.Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books of the solar-osirian unity:cryptographic
compositions in the tombs of Tutankhamun, RamessesVI, and Ramesses IX (Chicago, 1995),
566, Fn.50.
21
E.Hornung, Zwei ramessidische Königsgräber: Ramses IV. und Ramses VII, Theben
11(Mainz am Rhein,1990) 64f, pl.117.
The Upper Duat is equivalent to the height of the daylight world
which is equivalent here to the King's Chamber, and the Lower
Duat is synonymous with Htmyt, the "place of Annihilation" in the
eastern horizon, where the Damned ones are punished", which is
equivalent here to the Underground Chamber, which represent the
hell of Soker rstAw. Also we can say that the niche in the east of the
Queen's Chamber was the place of StAt, whose head was in the
King's Chamber(Upper Duat), and whose feet were in the
Underground Chamber(Lower Duat).
This union leads to the renewal of the energies of life in both gods
and all aspects of life. The Egyptians believed that the emergence of
the first thread of light in the sky at dawn was due to this union.23
This means that the life was renewed in the Queen's Chamber and
from it the king ascended to his burial chamber, which represent the
last station in his journey, and from which he shall arise in the sky
with the Sun God Re.
3.4 The Grand Gallery
22
A.Piankoff, La creation du disque solaire , IFAO 19,(1953) 45, pl.25.
23
W. Barta, Die Bedeutung der Jenseitstexte für den verstorbenen König, MÄS42 (Berlin,
1985) 80.
24
R.Stadelmann, Die ägyptischen Pyramiden, 115.
I think that this ascending passage was constructed as magnificent
gallery to be the pass of StAt (the form of giant represented united
Re and Osiris) to the king's Chamber. I also believe that number
seven of the layers of ceiling may indicate to the seven hour of the
night in which the enemies of Re would be under his feet to enable
him to arise in the sky.
The King's Chamber is 10.47 meters from east to west, and 5.234
meters north to south. It has a flat roof 5.974 meters above the floor.
0.91 m above the floor there are two narrow shafts in the north and
south walls. The purpose of these shafts is not clear, they appear to
be aligned towards the stars or areas of the northern and southern
skies, yet one of them follows a dog-leg course through the
masonry, indicating no intention to directly sight stars through
them. They were long believed by Egyptologists to be "air shafts"
for ventilation, but this idea has now been widely abandoned in
favor of the shafts serving a ritualistic purpose associated with the
ascension of the king’s spirit to the heavens 25.
Here the journey of the sun approached its end. Here the Sun God
Re separated from Osiris and arises in the sky from the pyramid. He
lasted Osiris in the pyramid, which represents the Duat, the realm of
Osiris, who waits for the next night, when the god Re comes to him
and gives him life once again.
4.Conclusion
25
K.Jackson, J.Stamp, Pyramid: Beyond Imagination. Inside the Great Pyramid of Giza
(2002), 79, 104; A.Fakhri, The Pyramids, (Chicago and London,1969) 118; M.Lehner, The
Complete Pyramids (London,1997) 114; R.Stadelmann, R.Gantenbrink, Die sogenannten
Luftkanäle der Cheopspyramide, 285ff.
4.1 The unusual system of chambers and passages running
throughout the Great Pyramid, probably reflects an attempt by early
Pharaohs to construct a permanent "Duat" world, very similar in
appearance to the many illustrations of passages and chambers
depicted in the Am-Duat texts painted all over Tomb walls in the
Valley of the Kings.
4.3 The dead king who was equivalent to the sun god left the cave
of Soker in peace, and went through the so called escape shaft to the
next step in the journey which was embodied in the so called
Queen's Chamber.
4.4 The so called Queen's Chamber was the most important place in
the pyramid, because it symbolized the place of the most
mysterious event in the journey, the unification between Re and
Osiris, which occupied the sixth hour in Amduat.
4.5 The niche in the Queen's Chamber maybe represent the place of
the goddess StAt, who represents the united Re –Osiris, and whom
was described in texts as the goddess her head in the Upper Duat,
and her feet in the Lower Duat.
26
N.Billing, The Secret One. An Analysis of Core Motif in the Books of the Netherworld, SAK
34 (2006) Fig.3,5
The two raised arms of the goddess in this representation are very
similar to the north and south air-shafts around the niche of the
Queen's Chamber. Therefore we may say that this chamber
embodied the goddess StAt, who represents the corpse of Osiris
when it was united with Re. This maybe the reason of the strange
name of this chamber as the Queen's Chamber. (Fig.6)
4.6 After the unification between Re and Osiris in the sixth hour of
the night, they still be united until the end of the journey in the
twelfth hour . So this united gods will pass through the ascending
passage, which was called the Grand Gallery to the King's
Chamber. This is the reason of the magnificent of this passage to fit
to the great one who passes through it. And this is also the reason of
the similarity between the ceiling of this passage and the ceiling of
the Queen's Chamber.
4.7 I believe that the Grand Gallery symbolizes the seventh hour of
the night, the hour of defeating the enemies of Re to enable him to
arise in the sky.27
4.8 The King's Chamber represents the last station in the journey,
which occupies the twelfth hour of the night, in which the dead
king, who equivalent to the Sun God, arises in the sky, and be
separated from Osiris, who shall stay in the Duat waiting the next
coming of Re in the next night. This perception explains the naming
of the pyramid as " horizon of Khufu" the place of arising
Khufu.(Fig.7)
4.9 As the life is renewed by the union of the soul and the body, it is
renewed as well by the union of Re and Osiris every night28. The
Egyptologists believe that as long as Re units with Osiris every
27
E. Hornung, Das Amduat, 125f.
28
E. Hornung, Die Nachtfahrt der Sonne, 95.
night and leaves him in the morning, that means the continuity of
renewal time, and when the end of the world comes, Atum the
nocturnal form of Re will unite with Osiris, and will never be
separated from him29. Thereby the wheel of the universe stops, and
the life ends. Also they see in the pyramid the place which controls
the continuity and stopping of life upon earth.
4.10 In the late religious texts they believed that Osiris embodied
the Duat,30 in which the journey of the sun shall occur every night,
so we may say that the pyramid with its unusual construction
represents the body of Osiris itself. Some scholars see in the
chambers and passages of the pyramid a representation of a
standing king with a crown upon his head, who maybe represent
Osiris.(Fig.8)
29
W. Westendorf, Die Geburt der Zeit aus dem Raum, GM 63(1983) 74.
30
E. Hornung, Das Buch von den Pforten des Jenseits nach den Versionen des Neuen Reiches
II; 290f; Idem, Zu den Schlußszenen der Unterweltbücher, MDAIK 57, 218, Abb.1
Fig.1 Diagram of the interior structures of the Great Pyramid.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheops-Pyramide
http://www.ancient-wisdom.co.uk/Ghizaarchitecture.htm
Fig 3. The air or escape shaft
http://www.ancient-wisdom.co.uk/Ghizaarchitecture.htm
http://www.ancient-wisdom.co.uk/Ghizaarchitecture.htm
Fig 5. The Grand Gallery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza
Fig 6.
Imaginary sketch of the Niche in the Queen's Chamber with statue of StAt
(My drawing)
Fig 7.
The route of the Sun God in the pyramid from sunset until sunrise