The Amduat (Part 1)

Believe it or not, not every funerary papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 is actually a copy of the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺! These two 𓏻 papyrus scrolls 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 which belonged to a woman named Gautsoshen are actually a copy of the “Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.”

The word “Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐” is Middle Egyptian for “That Which is in the Netherworld.” In modern times this text is known as “The Book of the Hidden Chamber” and is a separate entity from the Book of the Dead 𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓏲𓇳𓏺𓍼𓏺. 

Until the 21st Dynasty, the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 was reserved exclusively for pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏥 and usually appeared on the walls of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪. The oldest version of the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 is in the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 in the Valley of the Kings. The walls of the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 also contain the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. 

The Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 is the journey that Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 takes from the time the sun 𓇳𓏺 sets in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 and then rises in the east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭. The story takes place over the twelve 𓎆𓏻 hours of the night, and each hour represents different deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹  (both friends and enemies) that the deceased person/Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛 will encounter. 

Let’s break down the word “Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.” 

𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭 – “Being In” or “That Which is In” 

𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 – Duat (Netherworld/Afterlife) 

Why is the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 referred to as the Netherworld and not the more popular term “Underworld?” The Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 is not underneath the current plane of living (like in Greek mythology or Christian faith) according to the Egyptian religion. The Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 exists in an in-between plane that doesn’t have a designated place.

This papyrus 𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 is dated to the 21st Dynasty (c. 1000–945 B.C.E.), which is right when the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 started being written on papyrus instead of on the walls of tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪.

Please read Part II of my post on the Amduat 𓇋𓏶𓅓𓏭𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

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