1 canonical Compositions (Egyptian) 1.

14 55

DAILY RITUAL OF TIlE TEMPLE OF AMUN-RE AT KARNAK (1.34)

P. Berlin 3055 - A Selection
Robert K. Ritner

Dating from the 22nd Dynasty, this Theban ritual papyrus is one of the best sources for the standardized morning
liturgy used for divine and royal cults throughout Egypt from the New Kingdom until Roman times. The Seti
temple at Abydos depicts thirty-six chapters or "spells," with nineteen represented at the Ptolemaic temple of
Edfu and six at the contemporary temple of Dendera. In contrast, this Berlin papyrus adapted for Amon (together
with P. Berlin 3014 + 3053 designed for his consort Mut), contains sixty-six recitations. No single source pro
vides the complete ritual, but the constituent elements are easily reconstructed. The royal representative enters
the chapel, censes and opens the naos to reveal the cult image. Thereafter follow spells of prostration, praise and
offerings, after which the cult statue is removed, salved, clothed, adorned, and provided with unguent and eye
paint. In the concluding rites, fresh sand is strewn on the chapel floor, and the god is purified by water and
natron and replaced in the naos. On exiting, the priest sweeps away his footprints, banishing impurities and
demonic forces. .

BEGINNING OF TI:IE SPELLS' of the divine ritual fering! I am pure ...

enacted in the temple of Amon-Re, king of the SPELL FOR putting incense on the flame.
gods, in the course of every day by the chief WORDS TO BE SAID: "To the ba-soul of the East,
wah-priest2 who is in his daily service. to Horus of the East, to Kamutef' within the solar
SPELL FOR striking the fire. disk, to the Terrible One who shines with his two
WORDS TO BE SAID: "Come, come in peace, Eye Sound Eyes, to Re-harakhti,' the great god, the
of Horus, luminous, sound, rejuvenated in peace! winged power, foremost of the two' southern
May it shrine like Re in the two horizons, since conclaves of heaven. "
the power of Seth has hidden himself before the SPELL FOR advancing [to) the sacred place. 6
Eye of Horus, who took it and brought it to put WORDS TO BE SAID: "0 ba-souls of Heliopolis, as
in its place for Horus. Concerning his Eye, you are sound, so I am sound, and vice-versa.
Horus is triumphant, while the Eye of Horus Your ka-spirits are sound precisely because my
repels the enemies of Amun-Re, Lord of the
ka-spirit is sound before all the ka-spirits of the
Thrones of the Two Lands, in all their places. living. As all live, so I live. The two jugs of
May the King give an offering! I am pure."
Atum are the protection of my body. For me
SPELL FOR taking the censer. Sakhmet the great, beloved of Ptah, placed life,
WORDS TO BE SAID: "Hail to you, [censer of the stability and dominion around all my flesh by an
gods] who are in the following of Thoth; my oath of Thoth. I am Horus the chief, beautiful of
arms are upon you as (those of) Horus, my hands respect, lord of terror, great of respect, high of
upon you like (those of) Thoth, my fmgers on plumage, great in Abydos. May the King give an
you like (those of) Anubis, foremost of the divine offering! I am pure. " .
booth. 3 I am the living servant of Re. I am a
wah-priest, since I aiD pure (wab). The purity of ANO'niER SPELL.
the gods is my purity. May the King give an "Awake happily in peace, Karnak, mistress of the
offering! I am pure. " temples of the gods and goddesses who are in
her! 0 gods and goddesses who are in Karnak,
[SPELL FOR] PLACING the incense-bowl on the gods and goddesses who are in Thebes, gods and
censer arm. goddesses who are in Heliopolis, gods and
WORDS TO BE SAID: "Hail to you, incense-bowl of goddesses who are in Memphis, gods and god
[...] the field in Mendes, the. clay in Abydos. I desses who are in heaven, gods and goddesses
am purified by the Eye of Horus so that I might who are in the earth, gods and goddesses who are
perform the rites with you, they being pure for in the South, North, West and East, the kings of
Amon-Re, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Upper and Lower Egypt, children of kings, who
Lands, and his Ennead. May the King give an of- took the White Crown, who made monuments for

I The translation "spell" has been adopted to conform with the rendering of the same Eg. term in so-called Mmagical" texts. One could as

easily adopt "recitation" or "utterance" for all contexts. There is no distinction in Eg. terminology - or theology - between official cultic
"recitations" and private magical "spells"; see Ritner 1993:41-42.
1 Lit.. "pure priest...
3 The embalming booth.
4 "Bull of His Mother." an epithet of Min-Amun.
I A fusion of Re and "Horus of the Two Horizons. "
6 The holy of holies or naos in which the divine image resides.
56 The Context of Scripture, I

Amun in Karnak, may you awaken, may you be ed. Dressed one, be dressed. "
in peace. May you awaken happily in peace. " SPELL FOR seeing the god.

SPEll. fOR breaking the cord.7 WORDS TO DE SAID: "My face is protected from l3

WORDS TO DE SAID: "The cord is broken, the seal the god and vice-versa. 0 gods, make way for

is loosened. Bringing to you the Eye of Horus, I me so that 1 might pass. It ill the king who bas

have come. You have your Eye, 0 Horus." sent me to see the god."

SPElJ. fOR breaking the clay seal. SPElJ. fOR kissing the ground.

WORDS TO DE SAID: "The clay seal is broken, the WORDS TO DE SAID: "I have kissed the ground; I

waters are breached, the vessels of Osiris are have embraced Geb. For Amun-Re, Lord of the

drained. I have come not to drive the god away Thrones of the Two Lands, have 1 performed the

from his throne.' It is to put the god upon his chants {by which} 14 I am purified for him. You

throne that I have come. May you be established have your sweat, 0 gods. You have your per

upon your great throne, 0 Amun-Re, Lord of the fumes, 0 goddesses'. You have the perfumes of

Thrones of the Two Lands. I am the one whom your bodies." My kiss is life for Pbaraoh, praise

the gods initiated.9 May the King give an for the Lord of the Two Lands. "16

offering! I am pure." SPELL FOR prostratingP

IO
SPELL FOR unfastening the naos. WORDS TO DE SAID: "Hail to you, Amon-Re,

WORDS TO DE SAID: "The finger of Seth is Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, enduring

withdrawn from the Eye of Horus so that it be upon your great throne. I have prostrated (my

well. The finger of Seth is released from the Eye self) through fear of you, fearful of your dignity.

of Horus so that it be well. The hide is loosened I have embraced Geb and Hathor so that she

from the back of the god. II 0 Amun-Re, Lord of might cause that I be great. I shall not fall to the

the Thrones of the Two Lands, receive for slaughter of this day."

yourself your two plumes and your White Crown

SPELL FOR prostrating and for rising.
as the Eye of Horus, the right (plume) being the
WORDS TO DB SAID: "Hail to you, Amun-Re,

right Eye. the left (Plume) beIng the left Eye.

Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands. I have

You have your beauty, 0 Amun-Re,Lord of the

not acted with your secretions; I have not

Thrones of the Two Lands. Naked one, be cloth

removed your dignity ,19 I have not conflated your

ed. Dressed one, be dressed, though I am but a

appearance with that of another god.:IO 1 have

prophet. It is, the king who sent me to see the

god. ,,12 prostrated myself through fear of you, so that 1

might perceive what you desire. You shall not

SPElJ. fOR revealing the god. fall to your enemies on this day. Your enemies

WORDS TO DB SAID: "The doors of heaven are whom you hate, may you overthrow them as

opened. The doors of the earth are opened. Hail your enemies of this day. 21 There is no wretched

to Oeb, as, the gods have said, established on ness for the one who adores his lord. "

their thrones. The doors of heaven are opened so

SPElJ. fOR kissing the ground with the face

that the Ennead might shine. As Amun-Re, Lord

bowed.

of the Thrones of the Two' Lands, is exalted, so

the great Ennead is exalted upon their thrones. WORDS TO DE SAID: "I have kissed the ground

You have your beauty, 0 Amun-Re, Lord of the with my face bowed; I have caused Truth to

Thrones of the Two Lands. Naked one, be cloth ascend to you. There is no god who bas done

, Tbe knotted aDd sealed cord securina the door of the IUlOJ.
As noted by WUson. the breatm, of the seal is symbolized by the opening of a clay dam. Tbe term "vessels designates the arteries aDd
veins of the god, from which flow the waters of the NUe.
, Moret ttarllllates: "who enters (to) the gods.
10 Tbe parallel rilUal for the goddess Mut reads "drawing back the bolt ...
II Pemaps a reference to a shroud placed over the statue at night.
12 In theol)'. only the kina should be able to confront the statue of the god. Of necessity. this privUele was delegated to local biBh priests
as royal represemadvcs.
U Moret translates "protection for the god. "
14 Restored from the Abydos variant.
I' Tbe "sweat" aDd "secretions" of the gods are perfume.
If Moret ttarllllates: ". have smelled (these things) so that Pharaoh live and the Lord of the Two Lands be adored ...
17 Lit., "placing (oneself) upon the belly."
I' All fluids are restored to the gods to avoid potential misuse as in "Tbe Legend of.sis aDd the Name of at" (text 1.22 above).
I' See above, n. 14.
211 Ur., ". have not caused your color to resemble another god. "
21 Probably the enemies included in the daily execration rite; see text 1.32 above.
,

Canonical Compositions (Egyptian) 1.34 57

what I have done. I have not lifted up my face. I primordial one of the Two Lands, He of the
have not inflicted impurities. I have not conflated Sacred Arm,22 Amun-Re, Lord of the two
your appearance with that of another god." plumes, great one with the crown of greatness on
.. , (col. S, 3) your head, king of the gods resident in Karnak,
image of Amun,23 enduring in all things in your
SPELL FOR adoring Amun. name of 'Amun, more powerful than all the
WORDS TO BE SAID: "Into your presence gods.' They will not tum their backs on you in
Pharaoh has come, 0 male one of the gods, their name of 'Ennead.'"24

12 The epithets describe the standard posrure of the male, ithyphallic creator with upraised ann.

23 Contra Assmann, who translates: Myou are Amun. "

l4 A pun on ps!l Mback" and ps!l.t Mennead."

REFERENCES

Text: KOniglichen Museen zu Berlin (1901: pis. I-XXXVII). Translations: Moret 1902; Roeder 1960:72-141; ANET 325-326; Assmann
1975:260-273; and Barta 1980: cols. 841-45.