THE SEVEN SPIRITS (Axw-sfxw) IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN RELIGION

Sayed, Radwan

doi:10.21608/jguaa2.2020.27175.1028

THE SEVEN SPIRITS (Axw-sfxw) IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN RELIGION

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Radwan Sayed

Department of Egyptology-Faculty of Archaeology-Aswan University, Egypt

10.21608/jguaa2.2020.27175.1028

Abstract

(En)
This paper tackles an important topic in ancient Egyptian religion; the «Seven Spirits». This term is repeatedly mentioned in multiple written forms in religious texts from the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom, and the Saite and Late Periods. It seems that these seven deities as creatures or jinn were very important in the doctrine of the dead and for their fate in the other world, as evidenced by their frequent mention in religious texts. These deities are named in association with a number of major deities, such as Ra, Osiris, Anubis, Thoth and the four sons of Horus, and they also have a very deep and profound relationship with the deceased and «Big Dipper» group of stars. The texts explicitly disclose their seven names in detail, a number linked to the god Osiris, as they indicate their multiple roles during the deceased's journey in the next world. This study is based on a number of different textual sources and tackles some significant points in ancient Egyptian religion. It attempts to explain and outline:

The term «Seven Spirits» in ancient Egyptian religion,
The various written forms of this term,
The texts in which the Seven Spirits are mentioned from the Middle and New Kingdoms and Late Period, The relationship of the Seven Spirits to other deities mentioned in the same texts, such as Re, Osiris, Anubis, Thoth, Horus and the four sons of Horus,
The relationship of the Seven Spirits to the symbolism of the number seven in ancient Egypt and its deep connection with the god Osiris, and their association with the group of stars in the northern sky,
Their relationship with the deceased in the Underworld.

(AR)
تتناول هذه الورقة البحثية موضوعا هاما في الديانة المصرية القديمة وهو موضوع "الأرواح السبعة"، وقد ذکر هذا المصطلح بصورة متکررة بأشکال کتابية متعددة في النصوص الدينية من عصر الدولة الوسطي والحديثة والعصر الصاوي والعصر المتأخر. ويبدو أن هذه المعبودات السبعة بإعتبارهم مخلوقات غريبة أو جن کانت علي درجة کبيرة من الأهمية في عقيدة الموتي ومصيرهم في العالم الآخر بدليل الذکر المتکرر لها في النصوص الدينية. ذکرت هذه المعبودات مرتبطة بعدد من المعبودات الکبري مثل رع وأوزير وأنوبيس وتحوت وأبناء حورس الأربعة وست، کما أن لهم علاقة قوية وعميقة جدا بالمتوفي ومجموعة نجوم "الدب الأکبر" . أفصحت النصوص صراحة عن أسماءهم السبعة بالتفصيل، وارتباط ذلک العدد بالإله أوزير، کما بينت أدوارهم المتعددة خلال رحلة المتوفي في العالم الآخر. تستند هذه الدراسة علي عدد من المصادر النصية المختلفة.
هذه الورقة البحثية تتناول بعض النقاط في الديانة المصرية القديمة:
1- محاولة تفسير مصطلح الأرواح السبعة في الديانة المصرية القديمة.
2- الأشکال الکتابية المختلفة لهذا المصطلح.
3- النصوص التي ورد بها ذکر الأرواح السبعة من عصر الدولة الوسطي والحديثة والعصر المتأخر.
4- علاقة الأرواح السبعة بالمعبودات الأخري الواردة في نفس النصوص مثل رع وأوزير وأنوبيس وتحوت وحورس وأبناء حورس الأربعة.
5- علاقة الأرواح السبعة برمزية العدد سبعة في مصر القديمة، وارتباطه العميق بالمعبود أوزير، وارتباطها أيضا بمجموعة النجوم في السماء الشمالية.
6- علاقتهم بالمتوفي في العالم الآخر.

Highlights

INTRODUCTION
EXPLANATIONS OF THE WORD 3h
WRITING FORMS
BEGINNING OF APPEARANCE AND CONTINUANCE
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER GODS
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEAD
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SEVEN SPIRITS AND OSIRIS (CONNECTION WITH THE NUMBER SEVEN)
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONSTELLATIONS OF THE «GREAT BEAR» AND THE SEVEN SPIRITS
CONCLUSION

Keywords

Main Subjects

Egyptology

References

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CT = De Buck, A., Coffin Texts, 7 vols, Chicago (1935-1961).

E = Chassinat, E., Le temple de Edfu, 15 vols, IFAO, Le Caire (1892-1933.(

JEA= Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, (London).

LÄ = Helck, W.,Otto, E.,& Westendorf, W. (eds.),Lexikon der Ägyptologie, 7 vols, Wiesbaden (1972-1975).

LGG = Leitz, Ch., Lexikon der ägyptischen Götter und Götterbezeichnugen, 8 Bde, OlA.110-129, (Peeters Publishers and Department of Oriental Studies), Leuven (2002-2003).

OLA = Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, Louvain.

Urk = Sethe, K., Helck, H.W., Schäfer, H., Grapow, H. & Firchow, O. (eds.), Urkunden des Ägyptischen Altertums, 8 vols, Leipzig/Berlin (1903-1957).

Wb = Erman, A. & Grapow, W. (eds.), Wörterbuch der Ägyptische Sprache, 7 vols und 5 Bde Belegstellen, Berlin/Leipzig (1926-1963).

WPL = WILSON, p., A Ptolemaic Lexikon, A Lexicographical Study of the Texts in the Temple of Edfu,OLA.78, Leuven (Publishers Peeters and the Department of Oriental Studies) 1997.

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