The first week of the A to Z Challenge has now passed - how is everyone getting on? I'm having a lot of fun with this (and learning lots so what's not to love?!) and have read so many great posts. So anyway, here we go - on to G for Gate Deities...
The underworld was something that the ancient Egyptians gave a great deal of thought to, as it was paramount for the dead to be able to pass unhindered into paradise. Also known as duat, it was the place that the sun god Ra had to pass through each night after he had set and before he could rise again in the morning. In order to do this, he had to successfully negotiate the gate deities there (as did the souls of dead royalty, noblemen and officials). Ra also had to avoid the great snake Apep.
The underworld was something that the ancient Egyptians gave a great deal of thought to, as it was paramount for the dead to be able to pass unhindered into paradise. Also known as duat, it was the place that the sun god Ra had to pass through each night after he had set and before he could rise again in the morning. In order to do this, he had to successfully negotiate the gate deities there (as did the souls of dead royalty, noblemen and officials). Ra also had to avoid the great snake Apep.
These
gate deities were ferocious and terrifying, and were a danger to
anyone approaching the gate or pylon that they guarded. But those
passing through would be able to do so safely if they had the power
that came from knowing the secret name of each of the deities. Only
the souls who were completely pure and had successfully passed the
weighing of the heart ceremony were able to take this journey through
duat with Ra.
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| Ra on the solar bark (Source: Wikimedia Commons) |
Something like a gate-keeper? How many were there, and how many gates did Ra have to pass through at sunrise/sunset?
ReplyDeleteYeah that's exactly it. As for how many gates and guardians there are, well... Some funeral papyri state that there are 7 gates, others that there are 21 'portals' - and each has one guardian. The artwork on some of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings shows 12 gates, each with one or more guardian!
Delete(If you want to know more, my source is 'The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses' by George Hart - it's a very interesting book.)
Like the ferryman taking souls into Hades.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a similar idea.
DeleteI hadn't heard of these before, but it makes perfect sense given what else we know.
ReplyDeleteYes, true. It's interesting stuff :-)
DeleteThat was very interesting! Thank you for sharing that. I've come from the A to Z, thank you for stopping by my place and saying hello - I've put up some pictures now of our 1st few days on the RV adventure.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Thanks for letting me know, I'll make sure I take a look at your photos :-)
DeletePure souls? I wonder how many made it?
ReplyDeleteI know, that's a good point! The Pharaoh always made it (that goes without saying, regardless of what he might or might not have done) but who knows about the rest?!
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