Chapter 24 (part 1)

p. 172 CHAPTER XII. TENTH DIVISION OF THE TUAT. I. KINGDOM OF TEMU-KHEPERA-RA ACCORDING TO THE BOOK AM-TUAT. THE TENTH and ELEVENTH DIVISIONS, or HOURS, are intended to illustrate the passage of AFU-RA through the region of AKERT, Or AUKERT, that is to say, the Kingdom of the Sun-god of ANNU, or Heliopolis. The name of the TENTH DIVISION is METCHET-QAT-UTCHEBU, its gate is called AA-KHERPU-MES-ARU, and the Hour-goddess is TENTENIT-UHESET-KHAK-AB. The pictures and texts which illustrate and describe this region are of peculiar interest, for they refer to the union of KHEPERA with RA, i.e., the introduction of the germ of new life into the body of the dead Sun-god, whereby AFU-RA. regains his powers as a living god, and becomes ready to emerge into the light of a new day with glory and splendour. It must be understood that the constitution of this DIVISION is quite different from that of any which we have seen hitherto, and that the gods who are in it are peculiar to the region of Akert. It is impossible to say where Akert p. 173 began or ended, but as the Tuat of the inhabitants of Heliopolis was represented by it, it follows, perhaps, that it was believed to be situated quite near that city. It is pretty certain that it comprised a part of the Eastern Delta, and that it extended along the eastern bank of the Nile some considerable distance to the south of Memphis, in fact, so far as BAKHAU, the Mountain of Sunrise; if this be so, it follows that when the Boat of AFU-RA entered this DIVISION the god would have to alter his course from east to south. As the Kingdom of Osiris marked the limit of his journey northwards, and the Boat then turned eastwards, so the northern end of AKERT marked the limit of his journey eastwards, and the Boat then turned southwards. A glance at the Boat of AFU-RA as it enters this DIVISION shows us that it is neither being towed nor rowed along. Immediately in front of it (vol. i., p. 209) is the serpent THES-HRAU, with HERU-KHENTI, in the form of a black hawk, sitting on its back; on one side is a goddess of the North, and on the other a goddess of the South. Next we have the serpent ANKH-TA, (vol. i., p. 210), and then a group of twelve gods, four having disks for heads, and carrying arrows, four carrying javelins, and four carrying bows (vol. i., p. 210, 211). The serpent is the "watcher of the Tuat in the holy place of Khenti-Amenti," and the weapons carried by the twelve gods are to enable them to protect AFU-RA against his enemies in this region. To p. 174 the right of the path of AFU-RA are twelve lakes of water, which are intended to represent the celestial watery abyss of Nu, from which the Nile on earth was supposed to obtain its supply. At, one end of the scene is Horus, who leans on a staff, and addresses the beings who are seen plunging, and swimming, and floating in the various lakes (vol. i., pp. 226, 227), and bids them to come to HAP-UR, and promises them that their members shall not perish, nor their flesh decay.