Anonymous papyrus – Turin 7

Anonymous
Probably from Thebes, 21th Dynasty, acquisition in 1824

The papyrus presents scenes from the Amduat’s Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Hours. On the manuscript’s far right-hand side, the so-called etiquette shows fragments of an offering scene representing the lower part of Osiris’ throne and funerary supplies.

The treatise’s structure consists of one horizontal register. From left to right it describes the Netherworld’s reality through a multimodal composition of visual and linguistic signs. In the lower half of the composition, the author juxtaposes different episodes of the Sun-ogd Re’s nocturnal journey, while in the upper half, now partly lost, he illustrates columns of text in black and red ink.

On the manuscript’s left-hand side, the treatise’s first segment presents the following scenes: The bA of Osiris (Tenth Hour), The bA of Sokar (Tenth Hour) joined with Atum and the Winged Serpent (Eleventh Hour) and “The Procession of Deities”.

The scribe then arranges five columns of text to form a vertical element that separates the first part of the composition from the second.

On the manuscript’s right-hand side, the treatise’s second segment presents the following scenes: The Drowned (Tenth Hour), The Punishment of the Damned (Eleventh Hour), The Solar Boat (Twelfth Hour), The Bearers of Mehen (Eleventh Hour), The Ten (or) Twelve Worshipers (Twelfth Hour), The Mummy of Osiris (Twelfth Hour) and Khepri and Shu (Twelfth Hour).

On the manuscript’s far right-hand side, before the etiquette, the author includes an offering formula. Unfortunately, in this one-columned text, we can only identify the title of the deceased, but not her name.

The offering scene is badly preserved and presents fragments of Osiris’ throne and the funerary supplies offered by the deceased.

Source Museo Egizio Papyri, research Enrico Pozzi, Shenali Boange)

BD 1778, Turin 7

Anonymous Amduat papyrus

Length 154 cm, height 12 cm (fragmented)
BD 1778, Turin 7, Type BA.II.2b Niwinski
See Museo Egizio for additional info
Photo website Museo Egizio and panorama view VB 2023