Tanedjemetmut papyrus – Turin 13

Tanedjemetmut – tA-nDmt-mwt
Probably from Thebes, 21th Dynasty, acquisition in 1824

Mistress of the House, Chantress of Amen-Re, the king of the gods, Wet nurse of Khonsu the child

This papyrus presents a complete version of the Amduat’s Eleventh and Twelfth Hours. On the manuscript’s far right-hand side, the so-called etiquette shows an offering scene between Amenophis I and the papyrus’ owner

The treatise’s structure consists of three horizontal registers. From left to right its describes the last two netherworld regions through a multimodal composition of visual and linguistic signs

On the manuscript’s left-hand side, the Eleventh Hour displays a predominantly apotropaic characteristic, particularly in the bottom register, presenting the following scenes: Atum and the Winged Serpent, The Twelve Gods, The Goddesses on Snakes, The Solar Boat, The Bearers of Mehen, Isis and Nephthys depicted as Urei, The Shapes of Neith, The Punishment of the Damned and The Goddesses of the Desert

On the manuscript’s right-hand side, the Twelfth Hour describes the end of the Sun-god Re’s nocturnal journey through the Netherworld. Here, the Sun’s rejuvenation process takes place inside the life-regenerating serpent anx-nTr.w (Life of the gods). On the far right-hand side of the manuscript we see a beetle, Khepri, representing the Sun-god’s rebirthed form. Hence, Re in his renewed appearance exits the Netherworld travelling through the air-god Shu’s outstretched arms to be reborn as the sun disk at dawn. Many deities witness the end of the Sun-god’s journey in the top and bottom registers, praising the Great God and protecting him from the danger of his nemesis, the serpent Apophis. This hour of the night presents the following scenes: The Twelve Goddesses with Snakes, The Twelve Worshipers, The Solar Boat, The Twelve Gods of Tow, The Snake of Rejuvenation, The Thirteen Goddesses of Tow, Khepri and Shu, The Primordial Deities, The Row of Rowers, The Ten Worshipers and The Mummy of Osiris

On the manuscript’s far right-hand side, the etiquette shows the deceased, Tanedjemetmut, offering a perfume-burner, a nebris (the skin of a feline, perhaps a leopard), funerary supplies and lotus flowers to Amenophis I who is identified by the throne name Djeser-ka-Re in the cartouche (source Museo Egizio Papyri, research Enrico Pozzi, Shenali Boange)