Pyramid Texts

The Pyramid Texts are hieroglyphic inscriptions that are cut upon the walls of the chambers and corridors of five Old Kingdom Pyramids at Saqqara from the 5th and 6th Dynasties Built for Unas, Teti I, Pepi I, Merenre I, and Pepi II

These texts represent the oldest religious literature known,

The main theme in the Pyramid Texts is the Pharaoh glorious resurrection and ascension to the Afterworld

The following extracts illustrate the general contents of the Pyramid Texts:

1- The Book of Opening the Mouth

Under the earliest dynasties this ceremony was performed on a statue of the Pharaoh. Water was sprinkled before it, and incense was burnt, and the statue was anointed with seven kinds of unguents, and its eyes smeared with eye paint. After the statue had been washed and dressed a meal of sepulchral offerings was set before it. The essential ceremony consisted in applying to the lips of the statue a curiously shaped instrument called the PESH KEF, with which the bandages that covered the mouth of the dead Pharaoh in his tomb were supposed to be cut and the mouth set free to open. In later times the Liturgy of Opening the Mouth was greatly enlarged and was called the Book of Opening the Mouth. The ceremonies were performed by the Kher-heb priest, the son of the deceased, and the priests and ministrants called Sameref, Sem, Smer, Am-as, Am-khent, and the assistants called Mesentiu. First of all incense was burnt, and the priest said, "Thou art pure," four times. Water was then sprinkled over the statue and the priest said, "Thou art pure. Thou art pure. Thy purifications are the purifications of Horus, and the purifications of Horus are thy purifications." This formula was repeated three times, once with the name of Seth, once with the name of Thoth, and once with the name of Sep. The priest then said, "Thou hast received thy head, and thy bones have been brought unto thee before Keb." During the performance of the next five ceremonies, in which incense of various kinds was offered, the priest said: "Thou art pure (four times). That which is in the two eyes of Horus hath been presented unto thee with the two vases of Thoth, and they purify thee so that there may not exist in thee the power of destruction that belongeth unto thee. Thou art pure. Thou art pure. Pure is the _seman_ incense that openeth thy mouth. Taste the taste thereof in the divine dwelling. _Seman_ incense is the emission of Horus ; it stablisheth the heart of Horus - Seth, it purifieth the gods who are in the following of Horus. Thou art censed with natron. Thou art established among the gods thy brethren. Thy mouth is like that of a sucking calf on the day of its birth. Thou art censed. Thou art censed. Thou art pure. Thou art pure. Thou art established among thy brethren the gods. Thy head is censed. Thy mouth is censed. Thy bones are purified. that is inherent in thee shall not touch thee. I have given thee the Eye of Horus, and thy face is filled therewith. Thou art shrouded in incense."

The next ceremony, the ninth, represented the re-birth of the Pharaoh, who was personified by a priest. The priest, wrapped in the skin of a bull, lay on a small bed and feigned death. When the chief priest had said, "O my father," four times, the priest representing the Pharaoh came forth from the bull's skin, and sat up; this act symbolized the resurrection of the Pharaoh in the form of a spirit-body (_sahu_). The chief priest then asserted that the Pharaoh was alive, and that he should never be removed, and that he was similar in every way to Horus. The priest personifying the Pharaoh then put on a special garment, and taking a staff or sceptre in his hand, said, "I love my father and his transformation. I have made my father, I have made a statue of him, a large statue. Horus loveth those who love him." He then pressed the lips of the statue, and said, "I have come to embrace thee. I am thy son. I am Horus. I have pressed for thee thy mouth.... I am thy beloved son." The words then said by the chief priest, "I have delivered this mine eye from his mouth, I have cut off his leg," mean that the Pharaoh was delivered from the jaws of death, and that a grievous wound had been inflicted on the god of death, Seth

Whilst these ceremonies were being performed the animals brought to be sacrificed were slain. Chief of these were two bulls, gazelle, geese, &c., and their slaughter typified the conquest and death of the enemies of the dead Pharaoh. The heart and a fore-leg of each bull were presented to the statue of the Pharaoh, and the priest said: "Hail, Osiris ! I have come to embrace thee. I am Horus. I have pressed for thee thy mouth. I am thy beloved Son. I have opened thy mouth. Thy mouth hath been made firm. I have made thy mouth and thy teeth to be in their proper places. Hail, Osiris ! I have opened thy mouth with the Eye of Horus." Then taking two instruments made of metal the priest went through the motion of cutting open the mouth and eyes of the statue, and said: "I have opened thy mouth. I have opened thy two eyes. I have opened thy mouth with the instrument of Anpu. I have opened thy mouth with the Meskha instrument wherewith the mouth of the gods was opened. Horus openeth the mouth and eyes of the Osiris. Horus openeth the mouth of the Osiris even as he opened the mouth of his father. As he opened the mouth of the god Osiris so shall he open the mouth of my father with the iron that cometh forth from Seth, with the Meskha instrument of iron wherewith he opened the mouth of the gods shall the mouth of the Osiris be opened. And the Osiris shall walk and shall talk, and his body shall be with the Great Company of the gods who dwell in the Great house of the Aged One (_i.e._ the Sun-god) who dwelleth in Anu. And he shall take possession of the Urrt Crown therein before Horus, the Lord of mankind. Hail, Osiris ! Horus hath opened thy mouth and thine eyes with the instruments Sebur and An, wherewith the mouths of the gods of the South were opened.... All the gods bring words of power. They recite them for thee. They make thee to live by them. Thou becomest the possessor of twofold strength. Thou makest the passes that give thee the fluid of life, and their life fluid is about thee. Thou art protected, and thou shalt not die. Thou shalt change thy form among the Doubles of the gods. Thou shalt rise up as a Pharaoh of the South. Thou shalt rise up as a Pharaoh of the North. Thou art endowed with strength like all the gods and their Doubles. Shu hath equipped thee. He hath exalted thee to the height of heaven. He hath made thee to be a wonder. He hath endowed thee with strength."

The ceremonies that followed concerned the dressing of the statue of the Pharaoh and his food. Various kinds of bandlets and a collar were presented, and the gift of each endowed the Pharaoh in the Other World with special qualities. The words recited by the priest as he offered these and other gifts were highly symbolic, and were believed to possess great power, for they brought the Double of the Pharaoh back to this earth to live in the statue, and each time they were repeated they renewed the life of the Pharaoh in the Other World.

2- The Liturgy of Funerary Offerings

Under the earliest dynasties the belief in the efficacy of sacrifices and offerings was an essential of the Egyptian Religion. The opening ceremonies had for their object the purification of the deceased by means of sprinkling with water in which salt, natron, and other cleansing substances had been dissolved, and burning of incense. Then followed the presentation of about one hundred and fifty offerings of food of all kinds, fruit, flowers, vegetables, various kinds of wine, seven kinds of precious ointments, wearing apparel of the kind suitable for a Pharaoh, &c. As each object was presented to the spirit of the Pharaoh, which was present in his statue in the Tuat Chamber of the tomb, the priest recited a form of words, which had the effect of transmuting the substance of the object into something which, when used or absorbed by the Pharaoh's spirit, renewed the Pharaoh's life and maintained his existence in the Other World. Every object was called the " Eye of Horus," in allusion to its life-giving qualities. The following extracts illustrate the Liturgy of Funerary Offerings:

32. This libation is for thee, Osiris, this libation is for thee, Unas. (_Here offer cold water of the North._) It cometh forth before thy son, cometh forth before Horus. I have come, I have brought unto thee the Eye of Horus, that thy heart may be refreshed thereby. I have brought it and have set it under thy sandals, and I present unto thee that which flowed forth from thee. There shall be no stoppage to thy heart whilst it is with thee, and the offerings that appear at the command shall appear at thy word of command. (_Recite four times._)

37. Thou hast taken possession of the two Eyes of Horus, the White and the Black, and when they are in thy face they illumine it. (_Here offer two jugs of wine, one white, one black._)

38. Day hath made an offering unto thee in the sky. The South and the North have given offerings unto thee. Night hath made an offering unto thee. The South and the North have made an offering unto thee. An offering is brought unto thee, look upon it; an offering, hear it. There is an offering before thee, there is an offering behind thee, there is an offering with thee. (_Here offer a cake for the journey._)

41. Osiris Unas, the white teeth of Horus are presented unto thee so that they may fill thy mouth. (_Here offer five bunches of onions._)

47. O Ra, the worship that is paid to thee, the worship of every kind, shall be paid to Unas. Everything that is offered to thy body shall be offered to the Double of Unas also, and everything that is offered to his body shall be thine. (_Here offer the table of holy offerings._)

61. O ye perfume oil, ye perfume oil, which are on the forehead of Horus, set ye yourselves on the forehead of Unas, and make him to smell sweet through you. (_Here offer perfume oil of cedar of the finest quality._)

62. Make ye him to be a spirit- soul (_khu_) through possession of you, and grant ye him to have the mastery over his body, let his eyes be opened, and let all the spirits see him, and let them hear his name. Behold, Osiris Unas, the Eye of Horus hath been brought unto thee, for it hath been seized for thee that it may be before thee. (_Here offer the finest Thehenu perfume oil._)

3- Hymns to Nut and Ra

Hymn to Nut, the Sky-goddess
Nut, thou hast extended thyself over thy son the Osiris Pepi,
Thou hast snatched him out of the hand of Seth ; join him to thyself, Nut
Thou comest, snatch thy son; behold, thou comest, form this great one unto thyself.
Nut, cast thyself upon thy son the Osiris Pepi.
Nut, cast thyself upon thy son the Osiris Pepi.
Form thou him, O Great Fashioner; this great one is among thy children.
Nut, thou didst become a spirit.
Thou wast a mighty goddess in the womb of thy mother Tefnut when thou wast not born.
Form thou Pepi with life and well-being; he shall not die. Strong was thy heart,
Thou didst leap in the womb of thy mother in thy name of Nut
perfect daughter, mighty one in thy mother, who art crowned like a Pharaoh of the North,
Make this Pepi a soul in thee, let him not die.
Great Lady, who didst come into being in the sky, who art mighty.
Who dost make happy, and dost fill every place (or being), with thy beauty,
The whole earth is under thee, thou hast taken possession of it.
Thou hast encompassed the earth, everything is in thy two hands,
Grant thou that this Pepi may be in thee like an imperishable star.
Thou hast associated with Keb in thy name of "Pet" (Sky).
Thou hast united the earth in every place.
mistress over the earth, thou art above thy father Shu, thou hast the mastery over him.
He hath loved thee so much that he setteth himself under thee in everything.
Thou hast taken possession of every god for thyself with his boat
Thou hast made them shine like lamps,
Assuredly they shall not cease from thee like the stars.
Let not this Pepi depart from thee in thy name of "Hert"

Hymn to the Sun-god Ra
Hail to thee, Tem! Hail to thee, Kheprer, who created himself.
Thou art the High, in this thy name of "Height."
Thou camest into being in this thy name of "Kheprer"
Hail to thee, Eye of Horus, which he furnisheth with his hands completely.
He permitteth not thee to be obedient to those of the West, East, south and North
He permitteth not thee to be obedient to those who are in the earth
[For] thou art obedient to Horus.
He it is who hath furnished thee, he it is who hath builded thee, he it is who hath made thee to be dwelt in.
Thou doest for him whatsoever he saith unto thee, in every place whither he goeth.
Thou liftest up to him the water-fowl that are in thee.
Thou liftest up to him every tree that is in thee.
Thou liftest up to him the cakes and ale that arein thee.
Thou liftest up to him the gifts that are in thee.
Thou liftest up to him everything that is in thee.
Thou takest them to him in every place wherein it pleaseth him to be.
The doors upon thee stand fast [shut] like the god Anmutef,
They open not to those who are in the West, East, North and South
They open not to those who are in the middle of the earth
But they open to Horus.
He it was who made them, he it was who made them stand
He it was who delivered them from every evil attack which the god Seth made upon them.
He it was who made thee to be a settled country in this thy name of "Kerkut"
He it was who passed bowing after thee in thy name of Nut
He it was who delivered thee from every evil attack which Seth made upon Pepi II

The Pharaoh in heaven

The following passages describe the power of the Pharaoh in heaven, and his felicity there:

"The sky hath withdrawn the life of the star Septet (Sothis, the Dog-star); behold Unas a living being, the son of Septet. The Eighteen gods have purified him in Meskha (the Great Bear), he is an imperishable star. The house of Unas perisheth not in the sky, the throne of Unas perisheth not on the earth. Men make supplication there, the gods fly thither. Septet hath made Unas fly to heaven to be with his brethren the gods. Nut, the Great Lady, hath unfolded her arms to Unas. She hath made them into two divine souls at the head of the souls of Anu, under the head of Ra. She made them two weeping women when thou wast on thy bier. The throne of Unas is by thee, Ra, he yieldeth it not up to anyone else. Unas cometh forth into heaven by thee, Ra. The face of Unas is like the faces of the Hawks. The wings of Unas are like those of geese. The nails of Unas are like the claws of the god Tuf. There is no evil word concerning Unas on earth among men. There is no hostile speech about him with the gods. Unas hath destroyed his word, he hath ascended to heaven. Upuatu hath made Unas fly up to heaven among his brethren the gods. Unas hath drawn together his arms like the Smen goose, he striketh his wings like a falcon, flying, flying. O men, Unas flieth up into heaven.

"O ye gods of the West, East, South and North, ye four groups who embrace the holy lands, devote ye yourselves to Osiris when he appeareth in heaven. He shall sail into the Sky, with his son Horus by his fingers. He shall announce him, he shall make him rise up like the Great god in the Sky. They shall cry out concerning Unas: Behold Horus, the son of Osiris ! Behold Unas, the firstborn son of Hathor ! Behold the seed of Keb! Osiris hath commanded that Unas shall rise as a second Horus, and these Four souls in Anu have written an edict to the two great gods in the Sky. Ra set up the Ladder in front of Osiris, Horus set up the Ladder in front of his father Osiris when he went to his spirit, one on this side [and] one on the other side; Unas is between them. Behold, he is the god of the pure seats coming forth from the bath. Unas standeth up, lo Horus ; Unas sitteth down, lo Seth. Ra graspeth his hand, spirit to heaven, body to earth."

The power of the Pharaoh in heaven was almost as absolute as it was upon earth, and in a very remarkable passage in the text of Unas, which is repeated in the text of Teta, we have a graphic description of the Pharaoh as a mighty hunter, who chases the gods and lassoes them, and then kills and eats them in order that he may absorb their strength and wisdom, and all their divine attributes, and their power of living eternally. The passage reads:
"The skies lower, the Star-gods tremble, the Archers quake, the bones of the Akeru gods tremble, and those who are with them are struck dumb when they see Unas rising up as a soul, in the form of the god who liveth upon his fathers, and who turneth his mothers into his food. Unas is the lord of wisdom, and his mother knoweth not his name. The adoration of Unas is in heaven, he hath become mighty in the horizon like Temu, the father that gave him birth, and after Temu had given him birth Unas became stronger than his father. The Doubles (vital strength) of Unas are behind him, the soles of his feet are beneath his feet, his gods are over him, his serpents are seated upon his brow, the serpent-guides of Unas are in front of him, and the spirit of the flame looketh upon his soul. The powers of Unas protect him. Unas is a bull in heaven. He directeth his steps where he willeth. He liveth upon the form which each god taketh upon himself, and he eateth the flesh of those who come to fill their bellies with the magical charms in the Lake of Fire. Unas is equipped with power against the souls thereof, and he riseth in the form of the mighty one, the lord of those who dwell in power. Unas hath taken his seat with his back turned towards Keb (the Earth-god). Unas hath weighed his words with the hidden god who hath no name, on the day of hacking in pieces the firstborn. Unas is the lord of offerings, the untier of the knot, and he himself maketh abundant the offerings of meat and drink. Unas devoureth men, and liveth upon the gods, he is the lord of envoys whom he sendeth forth on his missions. 'He who cutteth off hairy scalps,' who dwelleth in the fields, tieth the gods with ropes. Tcheser-tep shepherdeth them for Unas and driveth them unto him; and the Cord-master hath bound them for slaughter. Khensu, the slayer of the wicked, cutteth their throats, and draweth out their intestines, for it is he whom Unas sendeth to slaughter them, and Shesmu cutteth them in pieces, and boileth their members in his blazing caldrons of the night. Unas eateth their magical powers, and he swalloweth their spirit-souls. The great ones among them serve for his meal at daybreak, the lesser serve for his meal at eventide, and the least among them serve for his meal in the night. The old gods become fuel for his furnace. The mighty ones in heaven light the fire under the caldrons wherein are heaped up the thighs of the firstborn; and he who maketh those who live in heaven to go about for Unas lighteth the fire under the caldrons with the thighs of their women; he goeth about the Two heaven in their entirety, and he goeth round about the two banks of the Celestial Nile. Unas is the Great Power, the Power of Powers, and Unas is the Chief of the gods in visible forms. Whatsoever he findeth upon his path he eateth forthwith, and the magical might of Unas is before that of all the spirit-bodies who dwell in the horizon. Unas is the firstborn of the firstborn gods. Unas is surrounded by thousands, and oblations are made unto him by hundreds; he is made manifest as the Great Power by Saah (Orion), the father of the gods. Unas repeated his rising in heaven, and he is crowned lord of the horizon. He hath reckoned up the bandlets and the arm-rings of his captives, he hath taken possession of the hearts of the gods. Unas hath eaten the Red Crown, and he hath swallowed the White Crown ; the food of Unas is the intestines, and his meat is hearts and their words of power. Behold, Unas eateth of that which the Red Crown sendeth forth, he increased, and the words of power of the gods are in his belly; his attributes are not removed from him. Unas hath eaten the whole of the knowledge of every god, and the period of his life is eternity, and the duration of his existence is everlastingness. He is in the form of one who doeth what he wished, and who doth not do what he hateth, and he abideth on the horizon for ever and ever and ever. The Soul of the gods is in Unas, their spirit-souls are with Unas, and the offerings made unto him are more than those that are made unto the gods. The fire of Unas is in their bones, for their soul is in Unas, and their shades are with those who belong unto them. Unas hath been with the two hidden Kha gods, the seat of the heart of Unas is among those who live upon this earth for ever and ever and ever."