Numero di inventario

Descrizione raffigurazione

The manuscript’s visual representation describes a specific segment of the Sun-god Re’s nocturnal journey through the Eleventh and Twelfth Hours of the night. The treatise’s visual model does not resemble the prototype established that decorates the 18th Dynasty royal burial chambers in the Valley of the Kings. The scribe arranges the scenes without following the treatise’s standard protocol and presents the episodes according to his discretion. Therefore, several deities are missing from these episodes (deities 804-805, 808, 810, 816 in the Eleventh Hour and deities 846-855 and 860-869 in the Twelfth Hour). The treatise’s structure consists of three horizontal registers presenting Re, in his newborn form as a beetle, travelling on the solar boat through the last netherworld regions. The top and middle register present one of the Netherworld’s apotropaic features where Horus’ hypostasis (here missing) orders the destruction and annihilation of the hostile forces that interfere with establishing the natural order (Cfr. the Maat principle): in fact, we see seven fire-spitting and knife-wielding goddesses slaughtering Re’s enemies over their fire-pits. In the middle register, the scribe presents the theme of travel. Here depicting the solar barque transporting a beetle, Khepri, the Sun-god Re’s renewed form, inside the solar disk of the Ax.t sign between two wedjat-eyes. In the bottom register, in order to complete Re’s rejuvenation process, three deities tow the solar barque through the entire body of the serpent anx-nTr.w (Life of the gods). This scene is reinforced through the tit and Dd signs; symbols of the deities’ endurance and vital strength.