C. Antechamber (west half of south wall through north wall)

Text: Book of the Dead, Chapter 17

The text and images on the walls of this room are from Chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead, one of the most important and longest chapters. Hieroglyphs can be oriented and read in four diffent directions. In horizontal rows, from left to right or right to left, and in vertical columns, from left to right or right to left. The “normal” fashion is to read into the signs, with humans and animals facing towards the beginning of the line. The captions in Nefertari's tomb are written in this fashion.

However, as with papyri versions of the Book of the Dead, the hieroglyphs of the text of Chapter 17 is written retrograde, common for religious texts. This means that the hieroglyphs are oriented facing to the right, so they would be read in “normal” fashion from right to left. But the columns themselves are read left to right, opposite the usual reading direction.

The text here is far from complete, but according to Gertrud Thausing and Hans Goedicke, “That the text is quoted only partially in no way infringes on its significance as a religious statement, as rendering of a part substitutes for the whole” (Nofretari: Eine Dokumentation der Wandgemälde ihres Grabes. A Documentation of her Tomb and its Decoration (Graz: Akademische Druk- u. Verlagsanstalt, 1971), 35).

The text has been slightly damaged. I am able to use Ernesto Schiaparelli's photographs from 1904, when the walls were less damaged, to fill in some of the missing text. To reconstruct the damaged parts of the rest, I have used parallel versions found in Günther Lapp, Totenbuch Spruch 17 (Basel: Orientverlag, 2006).

Images: Book of the Dead, Chapter 17

The illustrative register on the west half of the south wall depicts Queen Nefertari in three transformations. In the first, Nefertari is depicted in a reed shelter, known as a seh, seated on a high-backed wooden chair covered with a plaid covering, playing the board game senet. This vignette of the deceased playing senet was an important allegorical feature of Chapter 17 during the 19^th Dyansty. In her right hand, Nefertari is holding a sekhem scepter, while she reaches out with her left to move one of the pieces.

In the second image, she is represented as human-headed bird perched on a shrine, the representation of her ba-soul.

In the third image, she is kneeling with her arms raised in adoration, representing her ka-soul. She is facing the the so-called Akeru (Akr.w) “horizon lions,” depicted around the corner from her on the west wall. These two lions are sitting back to back with the sun in between them forming the akhet-sign (Ax.t, "horizon"). Over them stretches the sign pet (p.t) for sky. These double lions known variously as Ruty (Rw.ty, “the double lions”), identified as Shu and Tefnut, are also interpreted as as the earth god Aker. In this form, the two lions guard the gate of the dawn and evening, and are called the Akeru (Akr.w). In versions of the Book of the Dead, such as the Papyrus of Ani (EA10470,3, shown below), the lion on the left is labeled Sef (Sf, Yesterday), and the lion on the right is Duau (DwAw, Tomorrow). The vignette is drawn retrograde, being read from left to right, but based on other copies of the Book of the Dead, these lions are still read right to left.

In the image of Nefertari playing senet, she wears a semi-transparent white gown, which lacks a sash and is parted along its length, revealing her naked body underneath. As with other images of her in the tomb, she is adorned with lotus-bud earrings, a wide golden necklace, and on her head she wears a vulture crown. However, unlike every other image of her in the tomb, where she is represented as barefoot, in the two images of her playing senet and worshipping the “Horizon lions” on this wall, she is shown wearing sandals.

Photo: Ernesto Schiaparelli (1904), see “La Tomba di Nofretari Mirinmut,” Relazione sui lavori della missione archeologica italiana in Egitto, Volume 1 (Torino, G. Chiantore, 1923), 51.

Book of the Dead, Chapter 17

1-2) [HAt-a m sTs.w sxA].w n pr(t) hAy(t) m Xrt-nTr Ax.t
3-5) imnt.t nfr.t pri m hrw r ir.t xpr.w m xpr.w nb(.w) mry=f Hba
(Hba Play draughts (senet?), f. 167) sn(.t) Hms(t) m
6) sH pr(t) m bA anx in Wsir
7-8) Hm.t wr.t nb.t tA.wy (Nfr.t-iry mr.t-n-Mw.t)| mAa.t xrw m-xt mni=f

The beginning of the praises and commemorations (or - sAx.w ritual recitations) of going in and out from the glorious necropolis (or - from the necropolis, as an Akh-spirit) in the beautiful west; going forth in the day and taking forms in any form that he (sic) desires, playing the board game senet, sitting in the pavilion, and going forth as a living ba-spirit, by the Osiris, the Great King’s Wife, Lady of the Two Lands, Nefertari-Meryt-en-Mut, justified (true of voice), after he (sic) died.

iw Ax.wt n ir (st) tp tA xpr
9) mdw.t nb tm
‘Itmw ink ‘Itmw m wny m wa.kwi m Nwn ink Ra m
10) xay=f HqA ir.n=f pw-tr r(f) sw Ra pw m SA(a).n=f
11) HqA ir.n=f m SA(a) Ra
12-13) pw xaa(=f) m nsw.t ir.n=f m nn nswt m wnt n xpr sTsw-
14) Sw iw.f Hr qAA n imy xmnw
15) ink nTr-aA (xpr Ds.f).

It is useful for one who does it on the earth, all the words come into being in completion. Atum, I am Atum, when he was alone in the Nun (primeval water). I am Re‘ appearing in his glory, who rules what he has made. What does it mean? It is Re‘ when he began to rule what he had made. It is when Re‘ began (his) appearance as king of what he made in Herakleopolis. Before the Supports of Shu came into being, he was on the (primeval) hill in Hermopolis. I am the Great God (who created himself).

The images in the top register are a continution of the Vignette for the Chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead.

The first image is the “Horizon lions" discussed above, followed by the Benu Bird (bnw).

Photo courtesy of kairoinfo4u (Flickr), permission granted for educational use.

Photo courtesy of kairoinfo4u (Flickr), permission granted for educational use.

Photo: Ernesto Schiaparelli (1904), see “La Tomba di Nofretari Mirinmut,” Relazione sui lavori della missione archeologica italiana in Egitto, Volume 1 (Torino, G. Chiantore, 1923), Plate 20.