The Egyptian Heaven and Hell: Seventh Division of the Tuat. II. Kingdom of Osiris According to the Book of Gates

SEVENTH DIVISION OF THE TUAT.

II. KINGDOM OF OSIRIS ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF GATES.

The SEVENTH DIVISION, or HOUR, is entered by the Gate PESTIT, which is guarded by a monster serpent called AKHA-EN-MAAT; the pictures and texts are incomplete on the sarcophagus of Seti I., and those which are given in vol. ii., p. 190 ff., are taken from M. E. Lefébure's Les Hypogées Royaux de Thèbes, tom. ii., part ii., pl. 11 ff. The Boat of AFU-RA is, as before,

To the right of the path of AFU-RA are twelve gods armed with clubs having forked ends; they are called KHERU-METAUH, and their duty is to repulse the serpent APEP. Immediately in front of them is the serpent SEBA, on the head and back of which twelve human heads are seen; these make their appearance (vol. ii., p. 206 fl.) at the coining of AFU-RA, and the twelve gods who grasp the monster's body are exhorted to destroy them. The serpent is called SEBA, and APEP, and HEFAU. Beyond these groups of gods are twelve star-gods, who hold in their hands a long rope which is twisted round the neck of a god in mummied form called QAN, or AQEN, or NAQ (vol. ii., pp. 208, 209). To the left of the Path of AFU-RA is the god of the Tuat, called TUATI, who leans on a staff, and is in charge of the twelve mummies which lie on the back of the serpent NEHEP; the serpent has twenty-four lions' legs arranged at intervals (vol. ii., p. 210), and a mummy rests over each pair of them. The mummies are described as "those who are in inertness," and "those who are in the body of Osiris asleep."