THE GATE OF AQEBI.

THE THIRD DIVISION OF THE TUAT.

THE boat of the sun having passed through the Second Division of the Tuat arrives at the gateway which leads to the THIRD DIVISION. This gateway is unlike the first, which has already been described, for its opening is protected by an outwork, similar to that which protects the door of a fortified building. The outwork is guarded by nine gods, in the form of mummies, who are described as the "second company of the gods," and in this wall, which completely divides the Second Division from the Third, is an opening, which leads to a corridor that runs between two walls, the tops of which are protected by rows of pointed stakes. At the entrance to the corridor stands a god, in mummied form, called AM-AUA, and at the exit is a similar god called SEKHABESNEFUNEN, each is said to "extend his arms and hands to Ra." At each side of the angle, near

The Gate of the serpent Aqebi.

Along the middle of the THIRD DIVISION, we see the boat of the sun being drawn along by four gods, as before; the god Ra stands in a shrine, similar to that already described, and his companions are SA and HEKAU. The rope by which the boat is towed along is fastened to the two ends of a very remarkable object, in the form of a long beam, each end of which terminates in a bull's head. The accompanying text describes it as "his boat," and from the fact that the four gods who tow the boat are seen again at the other end of the beam-like object, with the towing-rope in their hands, it is clear that the boat of Ra, and the god himself, were believed to pass through it, from one end to the other. The object is supported on the

The Gods of the Third Division of the Tuat towing the Boat of Ra.

The Eight Bearers of the Boat of the Earth and its Seven Gods.

gods who are within," are seated upon it. At the end of this Division stand four mummied forms, with their elbows projecting, and their hands crossed on their breasts. The text

The effect of the above words is to allow the Sun-god and his boat to pass through the double bull-headed

The Tuat-gods address the Utau.

and their offerings are given to them when they hear the words of those who draw along, this great god. The gods of the Tuat (?) who [draw] the holy Boat in the earth say unto the UTAU, whose arms are hidden:--'O ye UTAU Of the earth, whose duty it is to stand (?) near his habitation, whose heads are uncovered, and whose arms are hidden, may there be air to your nostrils, O UTAU, and may your funeral swathings be burst open, and may you have the mastery over

The-Twelve holy Gods who are in the Tuat.

On the right hand side of this Division of the Tuat the boat of the Sun passes twelve shrines, each of which has its doors thrown wide open, and so permits us to see a god in mummied form standing inside it these gods are described as "the holy gods who are in the

Shennu gods who are before and behind him pay homage to him, and they rejoice in Ra when he traverseth [their] region, and when the great god journeyeth through the secret place. Their food consisteth of loaves of bread, their drink is made from the red [barley], and their cool waters come from [their cisterns of] water, and the serpent of fire, SETI, giveth unto them the things whereon they live there. The door which shutteth them in closeth after this god hath passed through their midst, and they utter cries of grief when they hear their doors shut upon them."

The Gods of the Boiling Lake.

On the left of the path along which the boat of Ra passes in this Division of the Tuat are two groups of beings. In the first of these we see the god TEM, in the form of an aged man, with bent shoulders, leaning upon a staff; coiled up before him in voluminous folds, with its head flat upon the ground, is the monster serpent APEP. Behind Apep stand nine men, with their arms hanging by their sides; these are called the "TCHATCHA who repulse APEPI," In the second group is TEM,

The Tchatcha who repulse Apep.

The texts which refer to these groups read:--

maat against thee, and my word is maat against thee; I have destroyed thee for Ra, and I have made an end of thee for KHUTI.'

"The company of the gods of Ra who repulse APEP say:--'Thy head is slit, O Apep, thy folds are gashed, thou shalt never more envelop the boat of Ra, and thou shalt never again make a way into the divine bark. A flame of fire goeth out against thee from the hidden place, and we have condemned thee to thy

The Lords of Destinies(?).

To the second group of nine gods "TEM saith:--'Inasmuch as ye are the gods who possess life and sceptre (i.e., authority), and who have mastery over your sceptres, drive ye back the serpent SEBA from KHUTI, gash ye with knives the foul and evil serpent AF.' These are the gods who work enchantments on APEP, who open the earth to Ra, and who

THE GATE OF AQEBI.

THE THIRD DIVISION OF THE TUAT.

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