The Shrines

Introduction:

Shrines were known since early dynastic period and the most famous ones were:

The Heb Sed shrine: the roof of this shrine slopes from both ends towards the middle making a depression in between what looks like two hills. This reminds us of the Axt sign which represents two hills with the sun disk rising in the middle. The style of roof of the outermost shrine of Tutankhamen was modeled on this shrine

The shrine of the north: known as pr nw or pr nsr. It was the shrine of goddess wDt the cobra goddess of Lower Egypt. Her cult center was at Buto known today as Tell El Fara’een in Kafr El Sheikh. It has a vaulted roof with two vertical boards one on either side like the innermost shrine of Tutankhamun

The shrine of the south: known as pr wr. It was the shrine of goddess nxbt the vulture goddess of Upper Egypt. Her cult center was at Hirakonpolis nxn known nowadays as El Kom El Ahmar near El Kab north of Aswan. Its roof was vaulted or sloping from one side bulging above the entrance like the second and third shrines of Tutankhamen

Description of the four shrines:

When Howard Carter demolished the bricked up door of the burial chamber he was astonished. The room was almost completely filled with a massive shrine which he realized later that it was only the outermost of a total of four floorless shrines which lay inside one another and protected the quartzite sarcophagus of the king housing three coffins. They were arranged inside each other like Chinese boxes

They are made out of heavy panels of oak covered with gold leaf. The technique that they have been decorated with was that the wood was covered with plaster or gesso then gold leaves then it would be incised with inscriptions or drawings while it was still wet

It had been suggested that the function of these shrines was to replace the long corridors normally found in 18th and 19th dynasty tombs as the tomb of Tutankhamen was not big enough to include all the required inscriptions to guarantee his protection in the afterlife

The shrines were assembled in the burial chamber inside out because none of them would have possible passed through the door of its previous one neither through the door of the tomb itself or that of the burial chamber. They were also removed out of the tomb the same way but in reverse order. The difficult task of dismantling the shrines took about 84 days

The shrines have been hastily assembled in a way that they were orientated contrary to the directions painted on them as the four sides of the shrines were meant to face the four cardinal points and the doors face the west but when they were discovered they were facing the east. Most probably they didn’t fit except that way

On the four shrines there is a text mainly from the Book of the Dead which begins from the innermost shrine which is nearest to the king’s body and ends at the outermost one

Each shrine has double doors which were held shut by means of ebony bolts sliding within massive silver coated copper staples. They were sealed with the necropolis seal except for the innermost one. The outermost shrine had been opened in antiquity probably by tomb robbers but the rest were intact which lead Howard Carter to believe that whatever he was going to see has never been seen before since the time of the pharaohs

The first or outermost shrine

As we mentioned before when carter removed the blocked doorway that separated the burial chamber from the antechamber he was surprised by what appeared to be a wall of gold. This wall was not more than the outermost of the four floorless shrines.

It is decorated with gold leaves inlaid with brilliant blue faience. It we take a side view at the upper part of the shrine we can see that its roof takes the shape o the Axt or the Heb Sed pavilion decorated with two cobras with multiple coils, tail to tail with outstretched wings one on either side. Just under the roof there is a representation of the winged solar disk. Beneath this there is torus molding decoration.

Its external side has the least amount of inscriptions among the four shrines. It is mostly decorated with representations of the Dd pillar sign of god Osiris reflecting stability and resurrection and the tyt sign of goddess Isis sign of fertility and regeneration. A pair of protective wDt eyes decorates the southern wall. They are either for protection or to allow the deceased king to have external communication with the outer world.

The doors:

The right leaf of the door is decorated with a representation of a headless animal with its front paw-less legs tied together. This might represent the danger that the king is going to over come in the afterlife. The left leaf has a representation of a seated deity holding in his had the anx sign with a composite crown on his head.

Interior of the shrine:

The internal surfaces of the shrine are heavily inscribed with spells from the Book of the Dead. One the door, right and left, there are spells form chapter 134 and 141 of the Book of the Dead. At the back panel there is the first appearance of the Book of the Divine Cow. This book tells the story of the destruction of mankind. It is very hard to see what is inscribed there but we can see the figures of the cow goddess Hathor, Shu and other deities

The frame and the pall:

Between this shrine and the next one a wooden framework covered with a sheet of dark linen covered with gilded bronze rosettes was found. There is a theory which suggests that the dark linen covering the shrine was an indication of the night sky and the rosettes represent the stars. There is a model showing the way this frame was originally found which is displayed inside the showcase

The second shrine

<!--<!--Its roof takes the shape of the pr wr the pre-dynastic shrine of the south. The roof is decorated with a winged solar disk in the center and two winged serpents with multiple coils on the sides.

The doors:

The king is represented on either leaves of the door on the right side he is represented holding the flail his head adorned with two horns, a disk and two feathers and a larger disk above him. He is accompanied by mAat goddess of justice and truth. In front of him there is a representation of an altar with a vase and a bunch of lotus flowers. Facing him stands ra Hr Axty depicted with a falcon head and the solar disk on his head. He is holding the wAs scepter in one hand and the anx sign in the other.

In the left side he is represented holding the crook and the flail, wearing the double crown and above his head is the solar disk. He is accompanied with Isis and in front of him there is an altar with a vase and a bunch of lotus flowers. Facing him is Osiris holding the crook and the flail.

At the back:

At the back of the shrine there is a representation of Isis and Nehtys outstretching their wings and standing on the nbw sign.

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This shrine has spells from the Book of the Dead plus a very mysterious funerary book. This book is considered unique though there seems to be some similarities to two scenes from the Amduat and the Book of the Gates. Egyptologists believe that this composition deals at one side with what is known as the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld and on the other side with the creation and refilling of the solar disk with fire during the night. This is the first instance of a composition describing the creation of the new solar disk.

No real title has been found for the book. The text was described as a "Kryptograph". However, because of its obscure nature, with text that was not translated into normal hieroglyphs, most Egyptologists refer to it as the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld. That is, in the outer panels, the texts which accompany some of the illustrations are cryptographic in order to preserve the secrecy of the formulas. This leads to some controversies where the meaning of the text is certainly not clear. However, it should be noted that other compositions exist that are also labeled "enigmatic" mostly from 20th Dynasty tombs such as KV6 (Ramesses IX)

The right side:

This text is divided into three registers, similar to the more familiar Amduat and within, the solar barque is absent. However, just as in the Book of Caverns, the sun god's presence is represented by ram-headed birds within a sun disk in the first section, and by only a sun disk in the second part.

The order of the two sections of the book is defined by two boundary posts prior to the so called first section, because they also proceed the first hour of the Book of Gates. This prelude consists of a "head of Re" and the jackal-headed "neck of Re", which symbolize the sun god's creative power. Another indication of the order of the two sections is that darkness and the Place of Annihilation dominate section A, which has only two large sun disks containing ram-headed bas, whereas light plays a major role in section B, which is dominated by rays of light that emanate from disks, stars, or serpents. We really do not know if there were additional sections to the book. 

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Section A of the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld

The first two scenes in section A in the upper and lower register each display eight deities. Those in the upper register are in the "caverns of the Duat (?)" and reside in darkness, while those of the lower register are in the Place of Annihilation, though it seems that their ba-souls are able to accompany the sun god. Piankoff believes that these beings symbolize the different transformations undergone by the sun god while passing through the Netherworld. He appears <!--<!--to believe that those in the bottom register, which are split between two groups of four with the chests of the four in front having the shape of the scarab, a symbol of renewal, indicate that the process of transformation is complete. Section A is split at its central point by a huge figure that spans the entire height of the three registers, which John C. Darnell sees as a union of Re and Osiris. However, Piankoff, perhaps more correctly, sees it as the mummiform figure of the king, Tutankhamun. The figure is named "He who hides the Hours". Both the head and feet of this figure are surrounded by an ouroboros-serpent, that is designated as Mehen, the Enveloper. This is the earliest representation of the ouroboros that we know. It, along with the text, refers to the beginning (genesis) and the end of time. A rope upheld by seven adoring gods in the center register evidently serves to pull the disk from the body of the mummiform figure.

After the central division of section A, there are three scenes arranged vertically. In the upper register, seven goddesses within their coffins gaze upon the rays of the sun and follow the sun god with their ba-souls, as their bodies remain in place. Depicted in the middle register are seven beings, turned in the opposite direction from those in the upper register, praising the solar ba and receiving the rays of his disk with raised arms. The lower register is flanked by two guardians, and its caption again refers to the Place of Annihilation. However, Re lights up this region "with his voice", so that its inhabitants may breathe. There is also a serpent, with the head of a human, that is coiled several times about two sarcophagi that contain the corpses of Osiris and Re. Here, a large oval containing hands has been read as "coffer".

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Section A of the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld

In the second part of the composition referred to as section B, we find three registers that each contain three scenes. Here, Re is represented by means of sun disks in each scene, and even to each figure within the scenes, for the disks are usually connected to the figures by rays of light. This is a graphic representation of text referring to the light of Re that enters their bodies. 

<!--<!--Both the upper and lower registers begin with a spitting cobra. Within the top most register, each of six gods is fronted by a ba-bird, and the god receives light from a star, though the first of these figures receives it directly from the initial cobra. According to the caption, this is the light of Re, which enters them. 

After this, the second scene in the upper register begins with a cat. Next, there are seven headless figures. They are fronted by faces, however, in each case inserted between a star and a sun disk with rays. They are flooded with light from the rays of the sun disks above. Apparently, this scene refers to the separation and rejoining of the head and the body. In the final scene of the upper register, six gods each stands on a Mehen-serpent, which helps with his regeneration, aided by light from a disk in front of them. 

<!--<!--The caption of the beginning scene of the middle register mentions the ram-headed solar ba, and here, we find depicted a mummy that has turned itself over and is extending a hand to the solar ba. A serpent that is flooded by light springs from the feet of the mummy. After this, there are four beings with lion heads. We cannot see their arms, and from similar material in the sixth hour of the Book of Gates, we may conclude that they are carrying the corpse of the sun. The last scene in the middle register is almost identical to the second scene, though now with six lion-headed figures. In each of these scenes, light from a sun disk surmounting a pair of legs enters the mouths of all these beings. 

At the beginning of the lower register of section B, the cobra spits light that in every case is received by a lion's head and, in turn, is emitted again by a cobra next to it. This light floods <!--<!--over six Osiris figures that, we are informed by the caption, are "clothed" with the light of Re, while their ba-souls follow them. Sail hieroglyphs that signify wind or breath in front of them indicate that the Osiris figures have been granted breath. 

The middle scene of the lower register starts out with a lion that, like the cat in the upper register, is rising out of the earth, which hides a serpent.  Afterwards, there are six mummiform figures with ram heads, and the caption here indicates that the deceased king is the object of their attention. In the last scene we see six goddesses. Each of them receives light from a disk and in turn, lets it pour from their hands onto the head of a serpent named "Evil of Face". Though these goddesses carry the sun, represented as a star and disk, in their wombs, their names designate them as punishing beings. It should be remembered that Tutankhamun's reign followed that of the heretic king, Akhenaten, and the significant and striking role of light in the realm of the dead may stem from that king's theological realm.  

Section B is terminated by the appearance a doubled sun disk with its ram-headed ba. Here, it is part of a symbolic summary of the daily course of the sun, which is kept in motion by four pairs of arms. At the very end of the scene, we find serpents, the heads of four negau-cattle, together with goddesses making a gesture of praise, an Osiris figure and an "arm of Re". Some scholars recognize all this as the end of the composition, though Darnell prefers to see it as a beginning, because of a very similar depiction on the ceiling of corridor G in the tomb of Ramesses

The Third Shrine

<!--<!--The roof of this shrine takes the shape of the pr wr. The scenes are mainly protective scenes as they represent the guardians of the king and not the genies as the second shrine.

The doors:

There is a representation of four guardians; one is represented with a crocodile head, another with a lion head over which are tow cobras and holding two knives on in each hand flanked by two ram headed guardians. Some of the guardians are holding together with the knife some sort of plant scepter maybe reed. This scene is repeated at the back of the shrine. The only difference is that there is a guardian with an antelope head and another with a human head in between the two rams headed guardians. The scenes are accompanied with extracts from Chapter 147 of the Book of the Dead. At the top there is the winged solar disk.

The sides:

In side the ceiling is decorated with the winged sun disk and seven vultures with outspread wings holding the Shen sign. One of the vultures has the head of a snake. Below them is the representation of a flying hawk symbolizing the king. One the doors and on the rear panel Isis and Nephtys protect the inside of the shrine with outstretched wings. On the right panel are two Udject eyes and a procession of gods: Hapy, Anubis, Quebehsenewef, Geb and Nut. On the left panel there are Nut facing Amsty, Anubis, Duametef, Geb and Horus nedjitef. Thus when the shrines were in place the procession of gods on the exterior of the fourth shrine faced the procession of gods on the interior of the third shrine.

The sides of the third shrine represent the second and sixth hours of the imyduat, as follows:

The left exterior panel:

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It represents the second hour of the Imyduat and its divided into three registers. Starting from the left to right on the first register we can see a row of five guardians holding knives in their hands and seated on invisible chairs: one with human head, ram head, ibis head, baboon head and lion head. They are holding the knives in order to attack and destroy any dangers that may face the king in the afterlife. These guardians are followed by a human guardian who is holding a Kherep scepter instead of a knife, a falcon head with ureas on his head and another human figure again with a knife in his hand ready to smite an enemy. Behind them are two baboon headed figures followed by a double faced figure: a falcon head and a human head. It had been suggested that this deity represent Horus and Seth together in the same body which is very unusual. Another theory suggests that he is a guardian who is represented with double faces in order to be more effective against danger or maybe this figure was meant to be a good spirit and a destructive spirit at the same time. This fashion of representing a double face was later used in the Gaeco Roman period. In the same register there are female figures holding the Was scepter followed by a lion figure, a female, a lady with the Dw sign upon her head maybe representing the western desert and goddesses one wearing the white crown and the other is wearing  the red crown.

<!--<!--The main scene in the middle register is the night journey of the deceased king disguised as the ram headed dead sun iwf standing under a pavilion. He is preceded and followed by guardians and divinities the most important of which is Hathor with her title of nbt dpt or lady of the boat in front of him Sia the watcher and wp wAwt the opener of the way and a falcon headed deity behind him. At the prow of the ship there is a representation of two cobras representing goddesses Isis and Nephtys or maybe the North and the south. In front of the solar boat there are four more boats. The first is empty except for two trees, these are probably two ears of corn because this boat is normally the boat of the corn deity npr. The second boat its prow and stern takes the shapes of the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt. Inside the boat there are two depictions of the Kherep scepter flanking a crocodile or maybe some other kind of reptile similar to the crocodile. The boat in front of it has a scarab at the prow while the stern has a mummified head with two feathers and the boat carries a representation of a cult object of Hathor which is the sistrum. At the front there is a fourth boat with a kneeling deity holding the mAat feather in front of him is a crescent moon surmounted by the lunar disk. The third register depicts other deities related to the second hour of the Imyduat. 

The right exterior panel:

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It represents the sixth hour of the Book of the Imyduat. The first register from left to right show some of the divinities of the sixth hour seated on invisible seats. One of them is seated and upon his head the signs of tA, Hnqt then one with red crown them one with a human head. In front of him is a falcon headed deity then a baboon headed deity then a mummy form and some other divinities and at the end is a group of 9 HkA scepters three of them with the white crown and three with the red crown and three with a cobra.

The main scene in the middle register is the solar boat with the king camouflaged as the ram headed dead sun inside his shrine in his night journey. He is represented in a human body and the head of a ram and the solar disk at the top of his head. In front of him is goddess Hathor with the title of nbt dpt preceded by a divinity called siA which means the watcher and in front of him another divinity called wp wAwt meaning the opener of the way. Behind the sun god there is a falcon headed deity and the rest of the crew. The most important of them is xrp who is the helmsman as he is the one responsible for steering the boat. After the boat there is a baboon headed figure holding an ibis in his hand which represents two forms of god Dhwty or Thot then there is a female figure holding the nw jars, four male figures with the white crown, four male figures with nothing on their heads then four male figures with the red crown. These figures may represent the dead king.

In the third register from left to right there are two crocodile headed figures along with four smaller crocodiles. In front of them are six standing male figures and two seated female figures. A huge snake is then represented with four human heads penetrating its body. These heads are probably the four sons of Horus. In front of it there are two seated figures

The fourth Shrine or the innermost shrine

<!--<!-- Its roof takes the shape of pr nw or the shrine of the north. It is the innermost shrine and the nearest to the sarcophagus that’s why higher rank of protective deities are represented on its walls as the nearer we come to the body of the king the more protection is needed.

The ceiling:

On the interior of the ceiling is depicted Nut spreading her wings over the deceased while on the right and the left stands two winged figures of Horus above three nbw signs. Then lower down there are two jackals of Anubis reclining on pylons. While the exterior has representation form left to right of two Udjet eyes above pylon shaped buildings, kneeling figures of Isis and Nephtys, Selkit and Neith followed by two figures of Anubis and a winged vulture and a winged serpent.

The doors and the back

At the doors and the back there is a similar scene starting with the winged solar disk with two serpents one with the red crown and the other with the white crown for protection at the top. Then there is a representation of goddess Isis and goddess Nephtys with outstretched wings to protect the deceased king. On the inside of the doors are two winged figures of Isis and Nephtys outstretching their wings. The interior is inscribed with chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead. The text starts at the back wall continues on the right and ends on the left wall.

The sides:  

On the left side from left to right there is Geb followed by Dwamutef but represented with a falcon head probably a mistake or because during the 18th dynasty he was sometimes represented in this way. It had been recorded that there seemed to be an interchange between some of the heads and names of the four sons of Horus. Then Anubis imywt and Amsty flanked on both sides with god Thot.

The right side from left to right there is a similar scene also with god DHwty on both sides flanking Hapy, Anubis Xnty sH nTr, Quebehsenwef here represented human headed for similar reasons as mentioned before followed by Horus in his form as Hr nD.it.f  meaning Horus the avenger of his father.

All deities are accompanied by their names written in hieroglyphics after the Dd mdw in formula.

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Haby       Dwamutef       Anubis               imsty           Thot          Horus