The Pyramid Texts
The so called Pyramid Texts are funerary texts, so called 'utterances', inscribed on the walls of the Old Kingdom pyramids (2375-2181) and the First Intermediate (2181-2055). They comprise over 800 different utterances and cover the reign of six kings. The reflect the role Aset had in a funerary context. She most often appears together with Nebt-Het (Gr: Nephtys), her sister, sometimes called the 'Silent Companion'.
The first mentionings of Aset is from the Pyramid Texts dating to the 5th Dynasty. In Utterance 4, the earliest place which history has brought us where her name appears, it says:
"...O King, I have given to you your sister Isis, that she may lay hold of you and give to you your heart for your body."
The Coffin Texts
The Coffin Texts is a collection of over thousand texts inscribed on coffins during the Middle Kingdom, especially the 11th and 12th Dynasties. They were derived from the Pyramid Texts and the purpose was to guarantee survival in the Afterlife. But in those days, instead of the Afterlife being reserved for the King alone, the practice had begun to spread, first probably to members of the Royal Family, then to nobles and high dignitaries, and from then onwards through the layers of society. This is why we speak of the 'Democratisation of the Afterlife'.
In Spell 24 we get an idea of Asetīs role in the funerary context:
"...the arm of your foe is chopped off for you, the Two Kites, who are Isis and Nephtys, scream for you, striking for you on two gongs in the presence of the gods..."
The Book of
Going Forth by Day
The Book of Going Forth By Day, often called the Book of the Dead, appeared during the New Kingdom. In Chapter 15 can be found a hymn to Wesir (Gr: Osiris) which also contains an important description of the roles of Aset:
"Aset will embrace you in peace
she will drive away the opponent from your path,
Place your face to the West
that you may illumine the Two Lands with electrum
The sleepers have stood up to look at you,
breathing the air and seeing your face
like the rising of the sun-disk in its horizon,
Their hearts are pleased with what you have done.
To you belong eternity and everlastingness."
In same book, Spell no: 142:4 can be read following, which gives us an idea of the many epiteths that Aset was given:
"...Aset the great, Mother of the God; Aset the Divine, Aset the daughter of Nut; Aset the Great of Magic; Aset the possessor of magical protection, Aset the possessor of rolls; Aset who protected her Father, Aset the Ruler of rolls; Aset in Asyut, Aset as ruler of (the city of) 'Shesmin', Aset in Bahbit (Iseum); Aset in Pe, Aset in Dep, Aset in Coptos, Aset 'in charge of' Pe, Aset in Akhmim, Aset in Abydos, Aset in Kingīs House; Aset in the Sky, Aset in the earth, Aset in the southern (and northern) chapel (of Sais), Isis in the northern chapel (of Sais); Aset in all her Manifestations, Aset in all her characters, Aset in all her Aspects, Aset in (every) place where her Spirit desires to be;..."
( From T.G. Allenīs translations of the Book of Going Forth By Day)
This page is under reworking.
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