Iufaa as a priest of the sun god: from the eastern wall of the burial chamber of priest Iufaa at Abusir
Abstract
This study deals with the annotated version of the text known as König als Sonnenpriester inscribed on the arch of the eastern wall of the burial chamber of Iufaa. Like most of the decoration that covers the walls of Iufaa's burial chamber and sarcophagi, the composition focuses primarily on his knowledge of cosmological, underworld or otherwise secret and mysterious phenomena and beings.
The most interesting aspect of the composition analysed here is the way it interconnects writing with iconography, i.e. the text, the associated vignettes, and above all the way these are treated in terms of real and sacred space. The scene of the resurrection of the sun is located in the centre of the arch of the eastern wall of the burial chamber, and the columns of inscriptions around it partially create an image of the hieroglyphic sign for "horizon" (akhet).
Immediately under the scene there is a square niche reminiscent of a closed window, the placement, dimensions and shape of which reflect those of the entrance opening for the mummy located in the opposite, western wall. The "window" thus symbolically connects the ideas of the rising of the sun from the gate of the eastern horizon, the flying out of the god Khepri from the ball of dung and from between the legs of the sky goddess, and the resulting appearance of the sun god in glory and divine might.
Therefore, this square opening in the eastern wall of Iufaa's burial chamber can be linked with with the so-called windows of appearance, through which the king or god appeared to the people as someone rising in glory to illuminate the world.