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W1982 Jubilation of the Justified

‘I am pure, I am pure, I am pure’

 1982.jubilJubilation

This scene, together with the weighing of the heart scene, and the deceased being led before the enthroned Osiris, and the enthroned Osiris, may all be considered part of the judgement scene, related to chapter 125 of the Book of the Dead. The detail is from W1982, a coffin held in the Egypt Centre.

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Here the priestess raises her arms in a gesture of jubilation. From the time of the Pyramid Texts, this gesture stood for rejoice (Dominicus 1994, 58-61). She declares ‘I am pure, I am pure, I am pure’ (chapter 125 of the Book of the Dead), and waves two ma’at feathers to show the successful outcome of her judgement. The feathers of the west are shown each side of her body. In some similar scenes, for example the New Kingdom Papyrus of Taujare, the goddess of the west herself is shown with the deceased (Refai 2006, 257). This goddess is a symbol of regeneration and also protection (Refai 2006). 

This scene is generally placed adjacent to the weighing of the heart scene. See examples in Piankoff and Rambova (1957) and Seeber (1976, 117) for further references to similar scenes.

More pictures and general information on this coffin 

 

References 

Dominicus, B. 1994. Gesten und Gebärden in Darstellungen des Alten und Mittleren Reiches. Heidelberg: Heidelberger Orientverlag. 

Piankoff, A. and Rambova, N. 1957 Mythological Papyri. New York: Bollingen. 

Refai, H. 2006. Die Westgöttin nach dem Neuen Reich. Studien zur Altägyptischen Kulture. 35, 245—260.

Seeber, C. 1976. Untersuchungen zur Darstellung des Totengerichts im Alten Ägypten. München: Deutscher Kunstverlag.

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