The Pyramid Texts Explained

The History of Egypt Podcast

What’s the deal? We explore the Pyramid Texts’ meaning, as well as their origins and scholarship.

The Osiris achieves his apotheosis. Having awakened from death and received his offerings (or taken them by force), Unas now prepares to enter the sky at last. We add more protections and defeat more enemies (including a dramatic appearance from the fearsome Mafdet). Then, Unas meets the oldest of primeval gods, sails the milky way, and hears the lamentations of his enemies’ women…

Episode topics:

1. Meaning 01:15.
2. Rituals 03:54
3. Afterlife geography 17:05.
4. Origins 20:16.
5. Arrangement / Structure 29:00.
6. Conclusion 37:25

Includes passages in English translation and ancient Egyptian.

• Date: c.2320 BCE.
• The History of Egypt Podcast Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com.
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• Intro music by Jeffrey Goodman, “Lament of Isis and Nephthys,” Ancient Egyptian Music II.
• Interludes by Keith Zizza, Children of the Nile.

Select Bibliography:

• Pyramid Texts in translation: https://pyramidtextsonline.com/translation.html.
• J. P. Allen, The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts (2nd edn, 2015). First edition (2005) available in Open Access via Archive.org.
• J. P. Allen, A Grammar of the Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts Volume I: Unis (2017). Available via the publisher, and major online retailers.
• R. Bertrand, Las Textes de la Pyramid d’Ounas (2004). Available via the publisher.
• W. M. Davis, ‘The Ascension-Myth in the Pyramid Texts’, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 36 (1977), 161—179. JSTOR.
• J. Hellum, ‘The Presence of Myth in the Pyramid Texts’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Toronto (2001). Online.
• J. Hellum, ‘Toward an Understanding of the Use of Myth in the Pyramid Texts’, Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 43 (2014), 123—142. Academia.edu.
• H.-J. Klimkeit, ‘Spatial Orientation in Mythical Thinking as Exemplified in Ancient Egypt: Considerations toward a Geography of Religions’, History of Religions 14 (1975), 266—281. JSTOR.
• A. J. Morales, ‘The Transmission of the Pyramid Texts into the Middle Kingdom: Philological Aspects of a Continuous Tradition in Egyptian Mortuary Literature’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Pennsylvania (2013). Academia.edu.
• D. Stewart, ‘The Myth of Osiris in the Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, Monash University (2014). Online.

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