Book of Caverns

The state known as the Book of Caverns work is the youngest of the three great ancient Egyptian underworld books after Imydwat and the Book of Gates. The work itself contains no original title. The modern name is explained by the observation that the beings of the underworld be located in this work, especially in caves and mines. ( Therefore, it is occasionally confused with the so-called Grüftebuch. ) Initially we have to imagine a long papyrus, in particular also contained kursivhieroglyphische inscriptions and explanations beside arranged in tableaux colored image scenes.

Dating

The Book of Caverns is most likely in the 13th century BC, ie the reign of the 19th dynasty, more specifically in the late reign of Seti I, in the reign of Ramses II or originated in the early reign of Merneptah.

Content

As the two older Great underworld books so also describes the Book of Caverns, first of all, the journey of the sun god ( Re) from the Western to the Eastern horizon through the underworld - in particular the divine beings whom he meets there, and its interaction with these beings. Important milestones are the visit of the deified dead, the visit of the body of Osiris and his own bodies, as well as the exit from the underworld to the sky, ie the sunrise. Furthermore attracts the sun god over to Hell regions in which the enemies of the order of creation be destroyed. In the approach, the imaginary topographic structure of the world is represented in the Book of Caverns.

Structure

The Book of Caverns is not divided as the two older Great Books of gates in twelve hours. Instead, it basically consists of seven scenes tableaux with a total of 80 individual scenes. With the exception of the first two tableaux explanatory inscriptions and verbatim speeches in particular of the sun god and are in addition to the scenes in each case identifying names, beige written. Between the seven scene tableaux each larger blocks of text, the content of each typically relate to the previous panel and contain multiple invocation litanies find.

Funerary reception and Editorial

As the two older Great Books of the cave as well as book was used in the secondary grave context - specifically, first in royal tombs, and later also in tombs of non- royal persons. As part of the reception was in a text copy of which should serve as a template for decorating the royal tombs, subsequently added phrases that evoke the afterlife hopes of the king for him, making explicit mention him by name. Also for the reception of the cave book on the sarcophagus Tjihorptos individual sentences were added.

Documents

Today, 13 textual witnesses Book of Caverns are known:

Using a text critical analysis, the obvious assumption could be confirmed that on the one hand copies in the royal tombs form a traditio-historical group, on the other hand, the two sarcophagi dating from the 4th century BC, both of which were found in Saqqara. In addition, let prove that the textual witnesses of the 7th - 4th Century BC traditio-historically associated with the copy in Osireion. The text tools in the grave of Petamenophis proves that the Egyptian scribes of the 7th century. BC have collated two text copies - a copy of Osireion version and a copy of the version in the grave of Ramses VI.

Creative antique desk

Individual scenes Book of Caverns serve shortly after its formation as an inspiration for several more scenes: The final scene inspired a scene for the decoration of the sarcophagus chambers of the royal tombs of Merenptah and Ramses III. ( KV8, KV14, KV11 ). Several other scenes decorating the royal grave chambers of the 12th century. BC, which are regarded as part of another work, the so-called Erdbuchs similar scenes Book of Caverns and may be inspired by it.

The textual witnesses to the Mumienkartonage in the Louvre and on the sarcophagus lid of Tjihorpto differ significantly from the original in the Book of Caverns or extend this. This ' textual evidence ' can therefore be classified as examples of a creative ' reception ' Book of Caverns.