http://SaturnianCosmology.Org/ mirrored file For complete access to all the files of this collection see http://SaturnianCosmology.org/search.php ========================================================== Main Deities A-Y Cult Temples History of Religion Philosophy Creation Myths Festivals Priesthood Daily Life Aset/Isis Deities Specific Abydos Dendera Karnak Philae Saqqara Women Other Abedjou The Souls of Pe and Nekhen Spirits of the Ancestors One of the steps towards civilization is the formation of settlements growing into towns, gaining power for various reasons and growing into cities. In Egypt that happened at several places, but the very earliest ones found sofar are Hierakonpolis (Nekhen), Abydos and Buto (Pe, Per Wadjyt). While Abydos has yielded a very large number of finds and displays a continuity from Predynastic times into the Christian era, the importance of Hierakonpolis cannot be overlooked, with artefacts as the Narmer Paltette and the Scorpion Macehead, to mention a few finds. Buto, or Pe, as it is believed to be called in the Pyramid Texts, the northern counterpart to Nekhen, remains more of an enigma. Leaving these finds aside for the time being, letīs take a look at the concept of ' The souls of Pe and Nekhen. *The Souls of the cities of Nekhen and Pe* as depicted in several New Kingdom royal tombs, symbolized the souls or 'bau' of the early rulers from these two areas. They are depicted as humans wearing a Horus mask for Nekhen and an Anubis mask for Pe. They were venerated as ancestor spirits holding great power and were considered helping the deceased kings as well as the living one. They could be said to be the sum of the divine beings of a place. Pe is mentioned in the Pyramid Texts mourning Osiris and urging the vengeance upon Set. Both Pe and Nekhen are regarded as stars, together forming a ladder upon which the newly deceased king might climb up to the skies. The Souls of Nekhen The souls of Nekhen (Hierakonpolis), the capital of Upper Egypt are depicted as jackal headed deities and the souls of Pe (Buto), the capital of Lower Egypt as falcon headed deities and so they cover the two lands from south to north. They are seen kneeling with their arms raised in the /henu/ position at rituals and celebrations. The Souls of Pe Originating in the early periods, these ba souls lasted throughout Egyptian history. In the Pyramid Texts it says that at the murder of Wesir, the 'Bau' of Pe are outraged and shows this by tearing at their sidelocks and tearing at their flesh. They also urge Heru to avenge his father and when the king is ascending the heavens, the souls of Pe and Nekhen provide a golde ladder for him to ascend on. The king seems to be especially closely linked with the Bau of Pe, perhaps because that city was given to Horus by Re, recompensing Horus for the injury of his eye during the struggle for the throne. They are often seen present at coronation ceremonies and they carry the sacred bark in procession on an interior wall of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak and in the tomb of Ramesses I they are flanking the king. At Buhen in the 18-dynasty temple, an inscription says: /"May they give all life and power....[and] all stability which they have..."./ In the Edfu temple they are seen carrying Horus himself. In a funerary context they are not very frequent however. If the concept of them assimilating all the souls of all the preceding rulers also lasted through time into the Late Period, is an interesting but uncertain thought. Sources: The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egyptian Religion - Richard H. Wilkinson Handbook of Egyptian Mythology - Geraldine Pinch A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses - George Hart Historic Overview Pre-Early Dynastic The First Artefacts The First Cities The First Kings The First Queens The First Gods The First Souls Temple of Seti I Temple of Ramesses II Hypostyles & King List The Osireion Passion Plays Myth of Wesir, Set & Aset Myth of the Heruchild Lamentations of Aset & Nebt-Het Copyright 2000 - 2008. All right reserved. No text may be used without permission from the webmistress. This site is for education purpose only. Contact Home - Gods - Temples - Priesthood - Creation Myths - Women - Wisdom Texts - History - Sitemap