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Drawing description

The manuscript’s visual representation describes the Sun-god Re’s nocturnal journey through the Amduat's Twelfth Hour of the night. The treatise’s visual model resembles the prototype established that decorates the 18th Dynasty royal burial chambers in the Valley of the Kings. Few deities are missing from these papyrus fragments (deities 822, 825, 830-831, 836-845, 846-848, 854-856, 858-861 and 864-868). The treatise’s structure consists of three horizontal registers presenting Re, in his nocturnal shape as a ram-headed deity, travelling on the solar boat through the last netherworld region. The top register presents seven goddesses with fire-spitting snakes on their shoulders, punishing Re’s nemesis Apophis and brightening the Netherworld’s darkness, while two worshipers, characterised by the typical adoration gesture with raised hands, praise the Great God. In the middle register, in order to complete Re’s rejuvenation process, excerpts of three gods tow the solar barque through the entire body of the life-regenerating serpent anx-nTr.w (Life of the gods). The depiction of the solar vessel is almost lost, but we see fragments of the stern recognising iwf (Flesh), mHn (Mehen), Hr-Hknw (Horus of fragrance) and kA-mAa.t (Bull of Maat). The bottom register is wholly lost, but we see a fragment containing two excerpts of texts.