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New myth about ancient gods. Texts from the walls of the burial chamber of priest Iufaa

Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2018

Abstract

The study focuses on four hitherto unknown mythological texts that accompany the text of the Royal purification ritual on the northern wall of the burial chamber of the shaft tomb of Iufaa at Abusir. These include a text describing the appearance and functions of the Hayshesh sea serpents, a cosmogony involving the uroboros, a myth of the glorifier of the Nun and an aetiological myth of the origin of divine awe.

These texts further illustrate the nature of the sacred "library" that Iufaa accumulated in his tomb and elucidate the meaning of the originally royal purification ritual that adorns the northern and part of the eastern wall of Iufaa's burial chamber.