Performing dua, Guide to afterlife for Amunem-wija

Neues Museum

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Guide to afterlife for Amunem- wija, chief of the domain, hieroglyphic

Intermediate Period, 21st Dynasty, 1075-946 BC, Thebes; Papyrus P 3127

This scene depicts a central figure kneeling with raised hands in the traditional ka gesture, performing dua (adoration) before a large, oval-shaped jar inscribed with hieroglyphs. The jar functions as a magically charged vessel — possibly a repository for the deceased’s spiritual essence, such as the Ba spirit (awaiting reintegration with the body), or a manifestation of a netherworld deity accessible through ritual invocation.

To the left, a smaller attendant figure — likely a priest or scribe — assists in the ceremony, perhaps offering libations or incense to ensure the ritual’s precision and power.

Above the figures, hieroglyphic inscriptions include a solar disk with a central point (symbolizing the sun god Rē) and the wavy “N” sign for water. These symbols frame the ritual within the cosmic cycle of the sun and the life-giving waters of creation. The inclusion of Rē confirms a connection to the solar cycle and the theme of daily rebirth, echoing passages from the Book of the Dead — particularly Chapters 1 and 15, known as “Going Forth by Day.”

The water sign reinforces ideas of purification and renewal, evoking the primeval waters of the Duat through which Rē travels each night. Together, the solar and aquatic symbols link the ritual to the dual paths of afterlife transformation—Osirian resurrection and solar regeneration.

This illustration from the Guide to the Afterlife for Amunemwija reflects the theological synthesis characteristic of Egypt’s 21st Dynasty. By venerating the sacred container under the signs of Rē and water, the ritual ensures Amunemwija’s eternal life: resurrected like Osiris and reborn daily with the sun. It represents the Theban priesthood’s sophisticated vision of total spiritual renewal during the Third Intermediate Period.

Original Text:

Jenseitsführer für den Wirt- schaftsvorsteher Amunemwija, hieroglyphisch

Zwischenzeit, 21. Dynastie, 1075-946 v. Chr. Theben; Papyrus P 3127

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Performing dua, Guide to afterlife for Amunem-wija, chief of the domain, hieroglyphic

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Source:  Berlin, Germany