Egyptian Book of the Dead (1913) - Page 250

or box, with a human head. This is probably the box that held Ani's navel string,¹ Hieroglyphic symbol of a box with a human head. Behind these stand the goddesses Meskhenet Hieroglyphic spelling of Meskhenet, and Rennt Hieroglyphic spelling of Rennt, the former presided over the birth of Ani, and the latter acted as his wet-nurse, or foster mother. Behind the Hieroglyphic symbol of a sepulchral building is the soul of Ani, in the form of a human-headed bird standing on a sepulchral building called "Serekh" Hieroglyphic spelling of Serekh. On the right of the Balance, behind Anubis, stands Thoth, the self-created, self-existent personification of the mind of God, and the inventor of writing, letters, mathematics, astronomy, and the arts. He stands here as the "Scribe of the gods," and holds a reed pen, and a palette containing black and red inks, with which to record the result of the weighing of the heart. Behind Thoth stands the monster "Āmām" Hieroglyphic spelling of Āmām, that is, the "Devourer," or as it is sometimes called, "Āmmit," Hieroglyphic spelling of Āmmit, that is, the "Eater of the dead."

FIG. 1. A line drawing of an Egyptian judgment scene. A figure stands on the left before a large balance scale. In the center, a small figure sits beneath the scales. On the right, a female deity stands holding a staff.

Some contemporary papyri afford very interesting variants of this scene. Thus in Fig. 1 the Judgment takes place in a Hall, in the presence of the Maāti-goddesses only, and the heart is weighed against a figure of the goddess of Truth herself. The Ape of Thoth sits by the side of the Balance, and not on the pillar of it. In Fig. 2 the actual weighing is performed by the goddess Maāt goddess of truth, whilst

FIG. 2. A line drawing showing a baboon (Ape of Thoth) seated upon a pedestal on the left, facing a balance scale. A female deity stands on the right adjusting the scales.

¹ The preservation of the navel string in Egypt and Uganda is described in my Osiris and the Egyptian Resurrection, Vol. II, p. 95.