DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3350#0019
THE INVESTITURE
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Below are two objects like half of the sign for heaven
(J>et); these also appear behind the king, usually
beneath the fan. It is possible that they belong to
some part of the miracle-play concerning the parting
of the heaven to receive the king. The lowest line
shews the an-mut-f priest in the leopard's skin, who
led part of the ceremonies; and before him a man
bearing an object representing human shoulders and
arms, covered with a cloth which hangs down over
the bearer. The meaning of this we shall notice with,
PI. V. In front of these are three semicircles ; these
continually occur behind the sovereign, like the fan
and half heaven, especially in the dancing scenes as
on PI. V. The source of these is shewn on the mace-
head of Nar-mer {Hierakonfiolis i, XXVIb) where
these semicircles touching are on either side of the
ceremonial dancers, and appear to represent the
hangings or curtains which secluded the scene of the
ceremony. As such, they are naturally brought with
the other apparatus of the feast.
23. Before the ruler were doubtless two standards
as in the four other scenes where this part is
preserved. One is the jackal standard of the god
Up-uati of the South, " the lord of Siut" as he is
called on the coffin scenes (A.Z. XXXIX, V). He was
the " opener of the ways," as the jackal finds the best
paths over the desert ravines, and opens the way to
the wanderer. The uraei before the jackal may be
also way-finders, as in the myth of Alexander's
being guided to the Oasis by two serpents who
went in front of the army and showed the way to
the oracle and back again (Arrian, Anabasis, III, iii).
The curl in front is an ostrich feather, emblem of
lightness or space, " the s/ied-sked which is in front "
in which the king's soul was believed to ascend into
heaven. The whole group is that of the god who
was to guide the soul across the western desert to its
heavenly home. A feature, which has not been so
clearly shewn before in this standard, is the arrow
which pierces the jackal's heel, shewing him to be a
god wounded in the heel: see PL VI. The other
standard is that of Letopolis, representing a piece of
flesh, but its meaning here we cannot trace.
Over the king is the flying vulture, the emblem
of maternal protection, the goddess Nekheb as she
is called in PI. V. She presents to him the ring of
" infinity." The inscription above is unfortunately
lost, except the legs of a bird and a linear sign.
24. Behind the ruler are the three great officials
who always here accompany him : the kher heb, or
reciter of the sacred books and services ; the semer
uati kherp aha, or peer and commander of the palace;
and the em khent who is otherwise written am khent,
he who is within the harem or private rooms of the
palace, apparently another form of the am khennu,
he who is in the inner quarters of the palace.
The official , who has the latter title (Lepsius,
Denk. ii. 43) is shewn riding on a donkey holding
his seal and stick, while the threefold whip is
carried by an attendant behind, thus connecting his
office with that of the em kJient who always has this
whip in these scenes. Thus the royal chaplain, lord
steward, and lord chamberlain directed the ceremonies.
The dress of the steward should be noticed ; it is
most complete in PI. VII, but other examples should
be compared. In the right hand he holds a long
staff vertically. Around his neck is slung a sort of
kilt of the Hathor head, by a band marked off in
divisions. This Hathor kilt of the kherp aha is seen
again on the stele of Zara, the heq aha, or ruler of the
palace, placed beneath his chair {Qurneh, Pis. II, III).
It is more or less connected with the row of four
Hathor heads hanging from the belt of Nar-mer
[Hierakonpolis i, XXIX). Across the chest there is
a double band, diagonally. Hanging down over the
shoulder is a string of alternately long and ball
beads, ending in a tassel ; it is not clear to what this
belongs, but it may be a counterpoise on the cord
supporting the Hathor kilt, to prevent that dragging
on the neck.
25. PI. IV. In front is a mention of the festival of
the hest determined by a hippopotamus. This might
refer to the conquest of the " destroyer," as hez is to
waste or destroy, and the hippopotamus who ate up
the crops would have this character. The steward
superintended this festival. Below it is a man, with
a corner remaining of a shrine which was before him.
The vulture Nekhebt, on a neb sign, rests on a plant
of the south, in the fullest form that we know,
splendidly designed.
Behind the king is a mention of Upuati of the
south, shewn by the tips of two ua signs and of a
res sign. There is also the corner of a rectangular
sign, the nature of which is not clear, any more than
the meaning of Upuati coming here. The palanquin
containing the royal child, suten mes, is often shewn
in these scenes ; there are here two in V, and two in
VI. It is probable that the original purport of the
presence of the royal daughters was for their mar-
riage to the new king, so that he might inherit the
kingdom through them.
26. PI. V. At the left is a mention of the
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9
Below are two objects like half of the sign for heaven
(J>et); these also appear behind the king, usually
beneath the fan. It is possible that they belong to
some part of the miracle-play concerning the parting
of the heaven to receive the king. The lowest line
shews the an-mut-f priest in the leopard's skin, who
led part of the ceremonies; and before him a man
bearing an object representing human shoulders and
arms, covered with a cloth which hangs down over
the bearer. The meaning of this we shall notice with,
PI. V. In front of these are three semicircles ; these
continually occur behind the sovereign, like the fan
and half heaven, especially in the dancing scenes as
on PI. V. The source of these is shewn on the mace-
head of Nar-mer {Hierakonfiolis i, XXVIb) where
these semicircles touching are on either side of the
ceremonial dancers, and appear to represent the
hangings or curtains which secluded the scene of the
ceremony. As such, they are naturally brought with
the other apparatus of the feast.
23. Before the ruler were doubtless two standards
as in the four other scenes where this part is
preserved. One is the jackal standard of the god
Up-uati of the South, " the lord of Siut" as he is
called on the coffin scenes (A.Z. XXXIX, V). He was
the " opener of the ways," as the jackal finds the best
paths over the desert ravines, and opens the way to
the wanderer. The uraei before the jackal may be
also way-finders, as in the myth of Alexander's
being guided to the Oasis by two serpents who
went in front of the army and showed the way to
the oracle and back again (Arrian, Anabasis, III, iii).
The curl in front is an ostrich feather, emblem of
lightness or space, " the s/ied-sked which is in front "
in which the king's soul was believed to ascend into
heaven. The whole group is that of the god who
was to guide the soul across the western desert to its
heavenly home. A feature, which has not been so
clearly shewn before in this standard, is the arrow
which pierces the jackal's heel, shewing him to be a
god wounded in the heel: see PL VI. The other
standard is that of Letopolis, representing a piece of
flesh, but its meaning here we cannot trace.
Over the king is the flying vulture, the emblem
of maternal protection, the goddess Nekheb as she
is called in PI. V. She presents to him the ring of
" infinity." The inscription above is unfortunately
lost, except the legs of a bird and a linear sign.
24. Behind the ruler are the three great officials
who always here accompany him : the kher heb, or
reciter of the sacred books and services ; the semer
uati kherp aha, or peer and commander of the palace;
and the em khent who is otherwise written am khent,
he who is within the harem or private rooms of the
palace, apparently another form of the am khennu,
he who is in the inner quarters of the palace.
The official , who has the latter title (Lepsius,
Denk. ii. 43) is shewn riding on a donkey holding
his seal and stick, while the threefold whip is
carried by an attendant behind, thus connecting his
office with that of the em kJient who always has this
whip in these scenes. Thus the royal chaplain, lord
steward, and lord chamberlain directed the ceremonies.
The dress of the steward should be noticed ; it is
most complete in PI. VII, but other examples should
be compared. In the right hand he holds a long
staff vertically. Around his neck is slung a sort of
kilt of the Hathor head, by a band marked off in
divisions. This Hathor kilt of the kherp aha is seen
again on the stele of Zara, the heq aha, or ruler of the
palace, placed beneath his chair {Qurneh, Pis. II, III).
It is more or less connected with the row of four
Hathor heads hanging from the belt of Nar-mer
[Hierakonpolis i, XXIX). Across the chest there is
a double band, diagonally. Hanging down over the
shoulder is a string of alternately long and ball
beads, ending in a tassel ; it is not clear to what this
belongs, but it may be a counterpoise on the cord
supporting the Hathor kilt, to prevent that dragging
on the neck.
25. PI. IV. In front is a mention of the festival of
the hest determined by a hippopotamus. This might
refer to the conquest of the " destroyer," as hez is to
waste or destroy, and the hippopotamus who ate up
the crops would have this character. The steward
superintended this festival. Below it is a man, with
a corner remaining of a shrine which was before him.
The vulture Nekhebt, on a neb sign, rests on a plant
of the south, in the fullest form that we know,
splendidly designed.
Behind the king is a mention of Upuati of the
south, shewn by the tips of two ua signs and of a
res sign. There is also the corner of a rectangular
sign, the nature of which is not clear, any more than
the meaning of Upuati coming here. The palanquin
containing the royal child, suten mes, is often shewn
in these scenes ; there are here two in V, and two in
VI. It is probable that the original purport of the
presence of the royal daughters was for their mar-
riage to the new king, so that he might inherit the
kingdom through them.
26. PI. V. At the left is a mention of the
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