some of them are mentioned not infrequently | from the time of the 20th dynasty (publ. in
192 RELIGION OF EGYPT
Hieratische Papyr. aus der Kénigl. Mus. zu Berlin, i., Leipzig, 1896-1901) ; cf. Lemm, Ritwal- buch des Ammondienstes, Leipzig, 1882 ; and Moret, Le rituel du culte divin journalier en Egypte, Paris, 1902. For the parallel texts of the ritual for the dead, cf. especially Schiaparelli, 17 Libro det Funerali, ii., where numerous examples are given; for the meaning and translation of the latter texts, cf. Maspero, Ht. de myth. i. 283 ff. A number of the statements that come under the present category are already found in the Pyramid texts of the 6thdynasty. These surviving accounts of the ritual show that the ceremonies were nearly the same in almost all Egyptian temples.
There is first a brief indication of the ritual act to be performed, with a picture of it also when the text happens to be engraved in relief on the temple wall, and then follow the terms of the prayer which the priest is to utter as he performs each of the acts named. These prayers consist almost exclusively of invocations of the deity, without any further point of interest, whereas the acts themselves have a higher significance, as they let us see what was the form of the ancient Egyptian divine service. They show at the same time that the latter was very much of one cast, for the same ceremonies as were performed before the god every morning were performed also by the king when he brought a great offering to the temple in the hope of obtaining from the god in return the pro- mise of victory over his enemies, joy, strength, or everlasting life. Much the same usages were fol- lowed, moreover, when the object was to reani- mate a dead man, that he might be able to enter the world beyond and eat and drink there. We cannot go more fully into these ceremonies here, but we must speak of their order :—(1) There was first the ‘striking o7 rubbing of the fire,’ z.€. a spark was generated by striking a flint or rubbing dry pieces of wood against each other, and this spark was regarded as Divine and as an effluence of the eye of the sun-god Horus. It furnished the means of lighting the temple and of kindling the fire for the burnt-offering. The latter was the main object, for now follow: (2) the taking hold of the censer, (3) the placing of the incense-container on the censer, (4) the casting of the incense into the flame. Thereupon (5, 6) the ministrant advanced to the elevated place, the naos, (7) loosed the band that fastened its door, (8) broke the seal, (9) opened the naos, and thus (10) made the face of the god himself visible, and (11) looked upon the god. Reverently (12-17) he cast himself upon the ground, raised himself, and repeated the prostration a number of times, keep- ing his face all the while turned towards the earth, and then (18, 19) commenced a hymn of praise to the god. When this was ended, a series of oflerings were presented to the god: first of all (20) a mixture of oil and honey, with which it was customary to anoint the images of the gods, and then (21) incense. After this the priest stepped back from the naos into the adjoining room of the temple, where (22) he uttered a short prayer. Then (23, 24) he took his place once more in front of the naos, and (25) solemnly praying ascended the steps which led from the temple floor to the level of the interior of the naos. Whereas he had hitherto stood lower than the deity, he now felt himself, after performing the above - mentioned ceremonies, to be on an equal footing with him, and might thus stand on the same level. But scarcely had he taken this step when he was seized once more with awe of the god, whose countenance was now distinctly visible (26, 27), he looked upon him (28), and repeated the pros- trations he had previously performed (29 - 34), Then he burned incense (35, 36), and uttered one
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or more prayers and hymns in honour of the god (37-41). A figure of the goddess of Truth was now presented to the god (42), who, in order to be truthful, must receive the truth into himself by eating or drinking. Then followed an incense- offering, meant not only for the god who was the special object of worship, but for all his com- panions who shared the veneration of the temple (43). Then began the purifying and clothing of the god. First of all the priest laid both his hands upon the god himself (44), then upon the upper side of the case in which the figure was placed, in order to effect its purifications as well (45). Then he purified the deity with four libation - pitchers full of water (46) and with four red pitchers full of water (47), fumigated him with incense (48), brought a white sash (49) and put it on the god (50). Then he put on him, successively, a green, a bright-red, and a dark-red sash (51-53), after which he brought to him two kinds of ointment (54, 55), then green and black eye-paint (56, 57), an act which was followed by scattering dust before the god (58), in order thereby to make even the spot, on which the god or the sacred animal stood, clean. The priest next walked four times round the god (59), and this ceremony ex- plains why the temple naos occupied a detached position in the sanctuary, namely, in order that this walking round it might be possible. At the close of this performance the presentation of offer- ings again took place. First the god received natron with which he was purified (60), then he was fumigated with incense (61), and underwent a purification with four grains of a substance brought from the south, and then with four grains of the same from the north (62, 63), then a purifi- cation with water (64), followed by a fumigation with ordinary incense, and another with the Anti incense from Arabia (65, 66). Here ended the regular Divine service.