Book of Gates

E442623

The Book of Gates is an ancient Egyptian funerary text that narrates the sun god’s nocturnal journey through the underworld, detailing the gates, deities, and trials encountered by the deceased soul.

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Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ancient Egyptian funerary text
religious text
underworld guide
associatedDeity Anubis NERFINISHED
Horus NERFINISHED
Isis NERFINISHED
Osiris NERFINISHED
Ra NERFINISHED
various underworld deities
cosmologicalSetting Duat NERFINISHED
culture ancient Egyptian religion
describes deities encountered in the underworld
journey of the sun god Ra through the Duat
passage of the deceased soul through the underworld
series of gates in the underworld
trials and judgments faced by the dead
eschatologicalBelief knowledge of names and spells is necessary for safe passage
righteous souls are reborn with the sun god at dawn
firstAttestedIn reign of Horemheb
foundIn royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings
tomb of Merenptah NERFINISHED
tomb of Ramesses I NERFINISHED
tomb of Ramesses II NERFINISHED
tomb of Ramesses VI NERFINISHED
tomb of Seti I NERFINISHED
genre underworld book
iconography division of the underworld into regions
scenes of blessed and damned souls
serpents and protective deities
solar barque traveling through the night
language Egyptian language
motif gates guarded by deities and demons
judgment and reward of the righteous dead
punishment of the enemies of Ra
periodOfOrigin New Kingdom of ancient Egypt NERFINISHED
primaryTheme sun god’s nocturnal journey through the underworld
prominentIn 19th Dynasty of ancient Egypt
20th Dynasty of ancient Egypt NERFINISHED
purpose ensure safe passage of the sun god during the night
guide the deceased through the underworld
provide knowledge of names of deities and gates
relatedWork Amduat NERFINISHED
Book of Caverns NERFINISHED
Book of the Dead NERFINISHED
Litany of Ra NERFINISHED
religiousFunction funerary text for royal burials
manual for afterlife navigation
structure divided into twelve hours of the night
organized around a sequence of gates
writingSystem hieratic script
hieroglyphic script

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Apep appearsInText Book of Gates
KV17 containsDecorationFrom Book of Gates
KV7 hasDecorationTheme Book of Gates
KV8 hasReligiousText Book of Gates
Amduat relatedWork Book of Gates
Ramesses VI tombDecoration Book of Gates