Research source

II. FROM THE PAPYRUS OF HUNEFER. [Footnote: From the Papyrus of Hunefer (Brit. Mus. No. 9901).]

Date of account: Ancient material presented in an edition published 1908
Source: Egyptian Ideas of the Future Life
Reference: Egyptian Ideas of the Future Life · selected passage 6
Rights: public_domain
Language: English study drawing on translated ancient Egyptian sources
Translation: E. A. Wallis Budge
Record updated: 2026-08-24

Record summary

R[=a] was supposed to sail over heaven in two boats, the [=A]TET or M[=A] TET boat in which he journeyed from sunrise until noon, and the SEKTET boat in which he journeyed from noon until sunset

Published source text

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Source passage

Source text · mention only

R[=a] was supposed to sail over heaven in two boats, the [=A]TET or M[=A] TET boat in which he journeyed from sunrise until noon, and the SEKTET boat in which he journeyed from noon until sunset. At his rising he was attacked by [=A]pep, a mighty "dragon" or serpent, the type of evil and darkness, and with this monster he did battle until the fiery darts which he discharged into the body of =Apep scorched and burnt him up; the fiends that were in attendance upon this terrible foe were also destroyed by fire, and their bodies were hacked in pieces. A repetition of this story is given in the legend of the fight between Horus and Set, and in both forms it represented originally the fight which was supposed to go on daily between light and darkness.

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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