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HOOFDARTIKELEN
A NEW EDITION OF THE BOOK OF NUT
DAVID KLOTZ, Yale University
Abstract
Review of the most recent edition of the cosmographic composition the Book of Nut,*) a detailed outline of the movements of
the sun, decan stars, and other celestial bodies, recounted within a
mythological framework. First attested in the Osireion of Sety I at
Abydos, this important text is attested in Pharaonic tombs as well
as on Hieratic and Demotic papyri of the Roman Period, several
of which are published for the first time. While the new parallels
greatly advance our understanding of the Book of Nut, the difficult
hieroglyphic texts, partially composed in enigmatic writing, still
invite further study.

*
) Review article of: LIEVEN, A. von The Carlsberg Papyri 8.
Grundriss des Laufes der Sterne. Das sogenannte Nutbuch. Vol. I: Text;
Vol. II: Tafeln. (CNI Publications 31). Museum Tusculanum Press, Copenhagen, 2007. (Vol. I: 30,5 cm, 463; Vol. II: 40 cm, 25 Tafeln). ISBN
978-87-635-0406-5. ISSN 0907-8118; 0902-5499. / 121,-.

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The so-called Book of Nut is an important cosmographic


composition first attested in the Osireion of Sety I at Abydos,
with fragmentary versions in the tombs of Ramesses IV and
Mutirdis in Western Thebes. Over a large representation of the
sky goddess, Nut, are extensive hieroglyphic texts describing
the nocturnal voyage of Re and the thirty-six decan stars through
the body of this celestial divinity. The Roman Period Papyrus
Carlsberg 1 (PC1), first published in 1940 by Helmut Lange and
Otto Neugebauer, comes from Tebtunis and preserves copies of
these earlier inscriptions in hieratic, interspersed with lengthier
commentary in both hieratic and demotic.
The Author has identified additional hieratic papyri with
copies of this fascinating text in the vast holdings of the
Carlsberg Institute (PC228, 496-497), along with additional
fragments in Oxford, London, Berlin, and Florence. Previously, similar parallels have been published in short miscellany articles.1) In this instance, the A. took the opportunity
to create an updated synoptic edition of all relevant texts,2)
with translation, commentary, and detailed discussions of
textual transmission and other related topics.
As one expects from the series, this is an impressively
produced book, featuring a meticulous description of the
papyri, extensive bibliography, and an excellent volume of
plates; the 1:1 photographs of all the papyri vastly improves
upon the small plates included in the editio princeps of PC1,
and one finds reproductions of the hieroglyphic copies from
the Osireion and two tombs. Without a doubt, this volume
will remain the standard edition of these difficult texts, and
the A. is to be commended for collecting the various fragments and producing this valuable work.
Given the extraordinary relevance of the Carlsberg Papyri
for both Egyptological and interdisciplinary studies, previous
authors have taken pains to create lucid translations and wellorganized commentary to render the material accessible to a
wider intellectual community. The A. of the present volume
has unfortunately made several editorial decisions which
have rendered the text even more obscure and uninviting to
non-Egyptologists than necessary:
(1) In contrast to previous volumes of the series, the A.
insisted on using the Tbingen transliteration system (e.g.
for d, c for , etc.), even for the demotic texts. While not really
a problem for Egyptologists, this idiosyncrasy will undoubtedly frustrate interdisciplinary scholars, since there are still no
demotic grammars or dictionaries which employ this system.3) Since the Tbingen system only approximates the pronunciation of Egyptian until the early Middle Kingdom, its
appropriateness for transcribing the present text not
attested until the Nineteenth Dynasty and preserved primarily
on papyri of the Roman Period is unclear.4)
1
) E.g. K. Ryholt, A Parallel to the Inaros Story of P. Krall (P. Carlsberg 456 + P. CtYBR 4513): Demotic Narratives from the Tebtunis Temple Library (I), JEA 84 (1998), pp. 151-169; J.F. Quack, Ein neuer
Zeuge fr den Text zum neunkpfigen Bes: (P.Carlsberg 475), in K.
Ryholt (ed.), Hieratic Texts from the Collection. The Carlsberg Papyri 7,
CNIP 30 (2006), pp. 53-64.
2
) The A. decided not to translate or discuss the famous portion of the
Book of Nut (only preserved in the Osireion exemplar) detailing the construction and use of a shadow-clock, apparently because it was not recopied
in the later papyri (see briefly pp. 12-13).
3
) This editorial decision also ignores previous attempts by Demotists
to employ a standardized transliteration system; cf. the various essays in
Enchoria 10 (1980).
4
) E.g. the relative form .t, that which is seized, is spelled phonetically as tt (p. 439, x+54 [S]), yet the A. transliterated cc (p. 33).

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(2) The synoptic edition has a confusing layout. All hieroglyphic and Hieratic examples are reproduced in typeset
hieroglyphs, without transliteration. Since PC1 employs both
hieratic and demotic, the A. presents a transliteration of the
demotic and a transcription of the hieratic into hieroglyphs.
This approach has its advantages, as it allows one to distinguish between the original text and the demotic annotations.
However, the resulting reading experience is awkward: to
read a section of PC 1 one must first consult the demotic text
in vol. 2, find the corresponding transliteration in the synoptic edition, move backwards to the translation (where the
transliteration is not repeated), and then skip forward to the
separate commentary section.
Moreover, the lack of transliteration for the non-Demotic
sections leaves readers wondering how precisely the A. interprets difficult passages. This omission is vexing for unusual
orthographies peculiar to late hieratic texts, none of which
are discussed in the section on transcribing late hieratic (pp.
35-36). Since no transliteration is provided, brief explanatory
notes could have been useful for non-specialists.
13:
The A. translates this group as Rebellen without further
comment; apparently this is to be transliterated sb.w
(<

), a rarely attested value for the first sign.5)

14, 25, etc.:


This abbreviation for d, to say is not uncommon in Late
Hieratic and Demotic,6) but it is still rare enough to merit a
footnote.
20, 25, 55:
= nw or m, to look. Based on the
glossary, the A. would transliterate this group as m
(p. 359), which is definitely possible.7) However, this verb
rarely employs the preposition r (Wb. II, 9, 7-8: selten),
whereas nw() r is the normal construction (Wb. II, 218,
6-9), and continues this way into Demotic and Coptic.
Furthermore, m hardly occurs in Demotic outside of
archaizing texts.
44 bis, 144:
The A. reads these examples as a book entitled die
Auflsung (bnr/bl), but the transliteration and explanation
only appears in a later chapter (p. 285). Since the pustule
hieroglyph does not elsewhere have the value bnn or bnr/bl,
some discussion is necessary.8) Furthermore, other examples
(39,
of this book (according to the A.) are spelled
47, 48, 143; also not explained on p. 49, n. 179), is an
5
) D. Kurth, Einfhrung ins Ptolemische. Eine Grammatik mit Zeichenliste und bungsstcken, I (Htzel, 2007), p. 400, n. 89, cites one example.
6
) Wb. V, 621, 16; 624, 9; G. Mller, Hieratische Plographie III, p.
58; W. Erichsen, DG, p. 691
7
) The pupils have this value in the New Kingdom cryptography; J.C.
Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books of the Solar-Osirian Unity,
OBO 198 (Fribourg; Gttingen, 2004), p. 590; D.A. Werning, Aenigmatische Schreibungen in Unterweltsbchern des Neuen Reiches: gesicherte
Entsprechungen und Ersetzungsprinzipien, in C. Peust (ed.), Miscellanea
in honorem Wolfhart Westendorf, GM Beihefte 3 (Gttingen, 2008), p. 138.
8
) The A. cites a previous article by J.F. Quack, but that reference does
not explain the sign-value either. One could suggest confusion or intentional substitution with the egg sign, based on bnn(.t), both egg and
seed (P. Wilson, A Ptolemaic Lexikon, p. 318; Cl. Traunecker, Coptos,
p. 152, n. e).

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attested orthography for bnr/bl, to release.9) The A.s


interpretation is plausible, but sound philological arguments
are not advanced in the present book.
(3) In general, the A. omits to include basic citations to dictionaries, not to mention more recent lexical studies.10) This
causes some minor problems:
p. 53, n. 215:
The A. proposed reading the oddly specific translation for tt
(Standarte, die wie das tt-Zeichen aussieht) without providing any references.
p. 147, n. 859:
The A. claims that terms such as r--w, (Ascendant, lit.
place of rising) cannot exist in earlier texts, da die Bildung mit r-- erst demotisch mglich ist. The A. provides no
references, but in fact a quick look at Erichsen, Demotisches
Glossar, p. 242 (s.v. r-, r-tp) sends one to Wb. II, 394395 (end; limit; place etc.), which notes that this construction is attested as early as the New Kingdom.
Incidentally, the same construction elucidates a problematic passage in 32:
(S, R, PC1): nn r r.w=f, its limits are unknown
(PC1): bn w py=w r py=f r-[], its limit (r-) cannot
be known, rather than Unbekannt ist ihr (?)-Tun (p. 59,
n. 267).
(4) Least helpful are the frequent references to unpublished
works, especially the thesis of J.F. Quack, Beitrge zu den
gyptischen Dekanen (Berlin, 2002),11) still unpublished and
thus not available to other scholars, either through UMI or
otherwise online. Since many important issues of translation,
interpretation, and dating of the text relate directly to the
unpublished thesis, a brief summary of the results, arguments, or sources would have been useful. Given that the
bulk of the Nut Book discusses the Decan stars,12) the
reader may be surprised to read:
Zu dieser Familie [der Dekane] s. in extenso die Behandlung
EAT III, S. 118-128 und bei QUACK, Beitrge zu den gyptischen
Dekanen, (iVb). Da v.a. letzteres Werk eine umfassende Aufarbeitung des gesamten Materials zu den Dekanen bringen wird,
wird hier auf weitergehende Bemerkungen verzichtet (p. 143).

In other words, scholars interested in what the Nut Book


says about Decan stars, and how this compares to other
Egyptian astronomical texts and cosmographic representations, will have to wait until the long-awaited study by J.F.
Quack appears. In the work under review, the A. only discusses a number of minor details in the general commentary.
This situation is unfortunate although the A. cannot solely
be to blame as it significantly diminishes the usefulness
of this book.
A similar problem plagues the textual notes. Since the
main texts have already been published several times with
9
) At least according to Wb. I, 461; W. Erichsen, DG, p. 118; CDD (b),
p. 54.
10
) E.g. notes 164; 230; 417; 466; 565.
11
) E.g. notes 128; 139-140; 147; 297; 299; 417; 747; 758; 768; 771;
774; 834-835; 837; 847; 851; 852-853; 858; 958.
12
) See p. 144: Es handelt sich hierbei um die umfnglichste wissenschaftliche Behandlung der Dekanzyklus aus gypten.

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commentary, and since J.F. Quack already published a short


article full of improved readings for the Demotic text,13) the
A. has little to add to earlier sections; the commentary in the
Mondkapitel and so-called Planetenkapitel, however,
are more substantive. Unfortunately, the A. rarely summarizes the discussions and readings of previous commentators,
but only provides brief references.14)
In short, it is often quite difficult to read this book, understand obscure passages, or follow the general commentary
without constant recourse to the previous edition (EAT III)
and to the collected works of J.F. Quack and the A. As a
result, this very important text will have a harder time reaching scholars of Egyptian religion, Greek and Babylonian
astrology, the history of science, and other related fields.
Cryptography
The early hieroglyphic copies of the Nut Book frequently
employ enigmatic or cryptographic values, and thus the
related papyri indicate how later scribes interpreted these difficult texts.15) Unfortunately, the A.s treatment of enigmatic
signs is disorganized and appears to have been added as an
afterthought. Arguably the most comprehensive treatment of
New Kingdom cryptography is the recent book by John Darnell.16) The A. mentions this work only a handful of times,
mainly to point out scholarly quibbles,17) and never refers to
it again when discussing specific cryptographic values.
The former book employs a reasonable philological
methodology in order to justify new readings, one should
propose a rational phonetic or graphic derivation, without
resorting to acrophony and quotes textual parallels to
supports its interpretations. The present work, however, follows no methodology, but proposes ad hoc interpretations
devoid of philological rigor, recalling the works of tienne
Drioton.
One looks in vain for a table of all attested cryptographic
or sportive values;18) instead there is only a smattering
of examples (einige der wichtigsten Charakteristika,
pp. 31-33), often presented without textual references;
when the A. condescends to provide such citations, they
apply to the separate Osireion publication, not to the synoptic edition in the present book. The A.s interpretations
of these examples are often unreliable, or at least insufficiently argued, as some of the following examples may
demonstrate:
13
) J.F. Quack, Kollationen und Korrekturvorschlge zum Papyrus
Carlsberg 1, in A Miscellany of Demotic Texts and Studies, CNIP 22
(Copenhgaen, 2000), pp. 165-171.
14
) E.g. notes 165; 166; 206; 208; 228; 234; 236; 240; 246; 251; 259;
276; 302; 310; 311; 312; 317; 323; 328; 348; 387; 396-397; 418; 430;
442; 445; 450; 455; 457; 459; 466; 472-473; 475; 478; 481; 490-491;
496; 498; 511; 512; 516; 524.
15
) A similar case exists with Thirtieth Dynasty copies of the Book of
Gates, which shed precious light on a difficult cryptographic section: C.
Manassa, The Judgement Hall of Osiris in the Book of Gates, RdE 57
(2006), pp. 109-150.
16
) J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books.
17
) For example: p. 28, n. 91; p. 30, n. 105.
18
) Contrast with J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books, pp.
588-617; C. Manassa, RdE 57 (2006), pp. 112-113; J.A. Roberson, An
Enigmatic Wall from the Cenotaph of Seti I at Abydos, JARCE 43 (2007),
p. 112; M. Mller-Roth, Das Buch vom Tage, OBO 198 (Fribourg; Gttingen, 2008), pp. 455-459; D.A. Werning, in C. Peust (ed.), Miscellanea
in honorem Wolfhart Westendorf, pp. 124-152. For the book of Nut, see
alteady V. Vikentiev, ASAE 43 (1943), pp. 115-131, an article which the
A. dismisses without further discussion (p. 9, n. 5).

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were influenced by standard Late Period substitutions of

present context.24) Moreover, the three rams could just as


easily write stars (s(bA).w [siou] < sr.w [esoou]),
using an enigmatic value which the A. discussed elsewhere
(cf. p. 61, n. 279).

and
(p. 47, n. 167). However, the examples from P.
Leiden T 32 and variants which the A. mentions can hardly
result from the same confusion, as they omit the r completely

118:
The A. claims this section ist stark korrompiert, vermutlich

, and they only make sense if the first sign has the
phonetic value b < b.

aus
(p. 89, n. 484). Neither
wurde aus verlesen,
of these signs need be corrupt, as they both are attested in
other cryptographic texts.25) The same observation applies to

6:
The A. read this phrase as py=s y.t, Ihr Aufgang (p. 50,
n. 193) but noted elsewhere that the resulting grammatical
form is peculiar (pp. 32, 271). The A. does not remark upon
the use of the eye-sign to write y (< r.t). While that value is
rarely attested in the Ptolemaic Period,19) it does not occur
elsewhere in the corpus of New Kingdom cryptography. The
unproblematic reading proposed by Erik Hornung, but hastily dismissed by the A., is thus to be retained: p=s, r.t,
when she flies up, the eye appears.

50, where

and
for bk, falcon.
0:
The A. makes the reasonable case that these orthographies

30:
Based on PC1, the A. suggests substituting the chick for
, , Kken or Nestlinge
a similar sign to obtain
(p. 58, n. 257). This proposal is reasonable,20) although not
supported by other examples.21) Similarly based on PC1,
one might read this entire section as: m dw.t, sw R pr=f,
() the child in the Morning. Re comes forth,22) rather
than Ein Kken(?), wenn Re sich zeigte(?), indem er
herauskommt (TA, m di.n sw a, pr=f).
69: (S)
(R)
The A. reads: Er tritt ein in sie (q=f r=s), without explaining the arm in the Sety I version. One might translate instead:
he enters into her (Nuts) mouth (q=f m r=s) (cf. 55),
with the arm = m.23)
135:
In both examples the A. reads: pr b.w, the Bas come
forth (discussed briefly on p. 31). This translation is clearly
based on PC1, but the A. does not mention that the value pr
is not attested for the goose or any other birds. The verb in
the hieroglyphic versions is most likely p, to fly up
(with substitution of birds) a translation appropriate for the
19
) This value is not popular, and possibly limited to foreign names: J.
Quaegebeur, Documents Concerning a Cult of Arsinoe Philadelphos at
Memphis, JNES 30 (1971), p. 248, n. f.
20
) The A. claims the two signs are interchangeable, but provides no
references. One example of this substitution (G 47 for G 43) may occur in
. Drioton, Inscription nigmatique du tombeau de Chchanq III Tanis,
Kmi 12 (1952), pp. 28, 30, but the reading there is far from certain.
21
) The A. claims that this designation ist ja auch sonst belegt
and refers to the Commentary (p. 58, n. 257), but the relevant section
provides no parallels or references (p. 141). The examples of , chick,
recorded in LGG VII, 447-448, have little in common with the present
context.
22
) Reading: d + n > dw.t, morning. The first sign (X8) has the
value dw in Duat (Wb. V, 415, 3); the water sign (N35) is securely
attested as t < t (J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books, p. 54,
n. 90; M. Mller-Roth, Das Buch vom Tage, p. 458).
23
) J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books, p. 190, n. 111;
D.A. Werning, in C. Peust (ed.), Miscellanea in honorem Wolfhart
Westendorf, p. 139; D. Kurth, Einfhrung ins Ptolemische, I, p. 188,
n. 281.

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= n (cf. p. 31, n. 111).

138:
The A. claims: S hat irrig im statt is (p. 93, n. 517). Simple interchange of birds (e.g. for a goose, s < s) is an equally
plausible explanation.26)
Further enigmatic values occur throughout the text, without
any comment in the chapter on cryptography or in the textual
commentary:
49, 131 (possibly 110): = n
The A. does not discuss this remarkable orthography of n
which implies the phonetic equivalence w ~ . Even if one
compares Coptic wn (Iwnw) and wn# (n), the present
examples demonstrate that the ayin may have weakened
already by the New Kingdom, so that both w and could
represent a similar vowel. Since Egyptian ayin is believed
by some scholars to represent /d/ until the early Middle
Kingdom, this particular orthography may provide yet
another terminus post quem for the composition.
116, 120, x+76, etc.:
=r
This cryptographic value is peculiar to the Book of Nut. The
A. suggests it might reflect a hypothetical Old Kingdom pronunciation, when Egyptian ayin actually represented consonantal /d/, which in the Middle Kingdom may have been
equivalent to a trilled /r/ (p. 32). This ingenious interpretation
ignores a simpler proposal suggested by J.C. Darnell, The
Enigmatic Netherworld Books, pp. 235-236, n. 270 (ayin
and r both similar to Semitic ghayin). Alternatively, there
might be a general equivalence: r ~w ~ (all sounding like
e), as in wn = n (cf. supra).
139, 142:
(rr sm.t=f)
(sm sb)
This orthography for sm, which appears to write pigmother, alludes to the theme of Nut devouring her children.
The A. comments on the obvious thematic cryptography in
this section (pp. 32-33, 94, n. 518), but does not bother to
explain its derivation: s (< s, pig) + m (mw.t).27)
24
) The same verb occurs in a similar text (Chr. Leitz, Tagewhlerei I,
gAb 55 [Wiesbaden, 1994], pp. 38, 40), but the A. dismisses any apparent
connections between the two passages as problematisch (p. 170).
25
) For n = , see Chr. Zivie-Coche, Miscellanea Ptolemaica, in P.
Der Manuelian (ed.), Studies in Honor of William Kelly Simpson, II (Boston, 1996), pp. 869-870; D. Kurth, Einfhrung ins Ptolemische, I, p. 422,
n. 121; Dendara XV, 14, 11 and 12. For the second value (probably
derived from D41, which writes nw/nw) see J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic
Netherworld Books, p. 118, n. 374.
26
) The converse value (goose = m) is attested in the New Kingdom:
M. Mller-Roth, Das Buch vom Tage, p. 457.
27
) The writing is discussed by J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld
Books, p. 32.

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= wty
130:
The reading is self-explanatory, but the alternation between
and
is noteworthy.28)
140:
Based on the parallel in PC1 (nw t p.t r nfr), the A. translated the first group as den Himmel befahren bis zum Aufhren (p. 94), without commenting on the second sign. This
probably reads nw m p.t, sailing within heaven, with the
d-arm writing m (< m, give).29)
x+75:
The new parallel in PC 228 confirms that this group should
read zp-tpy, first moment, as indeed the A. already recognized (p. 107). The exceptional use of db > tpy, first,
merits a brief mention.30)
Translation and Commentary
The preceding comments aside, the translation is generally
reliable and the commentary can be incisive and original; the
Reviewer genuinely learned much from the perceptive discussions. Nonetheless, the Nut Book remains a difficult text,
and the translation of numerous passages could be improved.
Since Christian Leitz recently discussed many of the astronomical interpretations at length,31) the following comments
are restricted to philological problems.
0:
The term khr.t (eine Vornbergebeugte(?), p. 47, n. 160)
actually occurs in a number of Roman Period hieroglyphic
texts from Thebes, and apparently designates the northern
sky.32)
2, 4, 77a:
The text locates two obscure regions at the edges of the sky
in total darkness, rt-qb.t (South), and srq-ty.t (North?;
discussed on pp. 126-128). These might be the Egyptian
names for the mysterious symbols which appear behind the
king in running scenes:
and
.33) Such scenes usually
have a cosmic significance (e.g. the king running around the
entire world), and these emblems occur in conjunction with
the signs depicting the two halves of the sky (

).

3:
In the Demotic text (PC1, 1, 18), the A. reads: [r] tm d.t
sm sb.t r=s, [ um] nicht zuzulassen, da die Lehre zu ihr
gelangt (pp. 49-50, n. 188). Rather than sb.t, Lehre, one
28
) J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books, pp. 259-260; D.
Werning, in C. Peust (ed.), Miscellanea in honorem Wolfhart Westendorf,
p. 139.
29
) Also suggested by D. Kurth, Einfhrung ins Ptolemische, I, p. 190,
n. 336.
30
) See recently D. Werning, The Sound Values of the Signs Gardiner
D1 (Head) and T8 (Dagger), LingAeg 12 (2004), pp. 198-199.
31
) Chr. Leitz, Zu einigen astronomischen Aspekten im sogennanten
Nutbuch oder Grundri des Laufes der Sterne, Enchoria 31 (2008/9),
pp. 1-21.
32
) Chr. Thiers, Le ciel septentrional ghr.t et le ciel mridional gb.t,
ENIM 2 (2009), pp. 53-58.
33
) For these symbols, see Cl. Traunecker, et al., La chapelle dAchris
Karnak, II (Paris, 1981), pp. 53-54; Chr. Favard-Meeks, Le temple de
Behbeit el-Hagar (Hamburg, 1991), pp. 218-219, n. 935.

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might preferably read sb, enemy, since teaching is


usually spelled sb.t or sb.t in Demotic (Erichsen, DG, p.
421). One would thus translate: lest any enemy reach her
(the female vulture (t nr.t), a reference to the relevant
depiction of Nekhbet (as one might expect), watching over
the southern boundary of Egypt.
4:
The A. Suggests reading the bird plus road as
, r.t,
Weg, noting this would derive von r fliegen (speziell
zum Himmel), without providing any references to this specialized use of the verb r, to become distant (cf. Wb. III,
146, 19). In Ptolemaic texts, the bird can write n/r, and
(Wb. III, 110, 12), but this is not attested earlier. Instead, one
might simply translate p w.t, the road, since the latter
word is already treated as masculine in P. Ebers (noted by
Wb. I, 246, 17).
5-6:
The Nut Book depicts the vulture goddess Nekhbet at the
edge of the sky, and PC1 elaborates: [] Punt, she (Nekhbet) returns from Gods Land. The A. argues that since
Nekhbet is a crown goddess, she automatically embodies the
goddess of the Eye of the Sun, which according to the A. can
only represent Sothis, and thus the entire passage relates to
the heliacal rising of Sothis at the New Year (pp. 128-130).
This approach to the Egyptian religion is overly simplistic,
as it reduces all goddesses to manifestations of Sothis. In
certain contexts, the Eye of Re could indeed represent Sothis
at the New Year,34) but elsewhere these goddesses represent
the feminine light energy of the transcendent solar deity.35)
Incidentally there is evidence for Nekhbet as the Wandering Goddess at Elkab, bringing incense from Punt via the
Wadi Hellal in her form of a vulture.36) Nonetheless, other
aspects of Nekhbet can be considered in the present context.
The Nut Book juxtaposes the flight of the vulture with the
appearance of the sun, and this might relate to the use of the
vulture to write wnm.t, right-eye = the sun during the
daytime.37) Since the vulture is also homophonous for the
word year (nr.t), Nekhbet might also represent the New Year
watching the arrival of the Inundation from the south.38)
Finally, Nekhbets position at the edge of the Nut figure
might explain her common epithet: wp.t-Nw.t, (She who is
at) the Edge of Nut or she who opens Nut (LGG II, 360).
34
) In addition to the references noted by the A. (p. 129, n. 755), one
should consult J.C. Darnell, The Apotropaic Goddess in the Eye, SAK
24 (1997), pp. 44-48 (with references to earlier discussions).
35
) See J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books, pp. 219-223;
D. Klotz, Adoration of the Ram, pp. 178-182. Furthermore, if tny.t or R.t
(feminine solar disk) only denote Sothis, how does one explain Rattawy
(lit. Female sun of the two lands), a solar goddess with few connections
to Sothis?
36
) Ph. Derchain, Elkab I (Brussels, 1971), pp. 12-13 (not mentioned by
the A.); see now B.A Richter, On the Heels of the Wandering Goddess:
The Myth and the Festival at the Temples of the Wadi el-Hallel and Dendera, in M. Dolinska, H. Beinlich (eds.), 8. gyptologische Tempeltagung: Interconnections between Temples, KSG 3,3, (Wiesbaden, 2010),
pp. 162-167. For Nekhbet, incense, and Punt, see also A. Gutbub, Textes
fondamentaux de la thologie de Kom Ombo, pp. 344346, n. (r); R. Preys,
Les complexes de la Demeure du Sistre et du Trne de R, OLA 106
(Leiden, 2002), p. 305.
37
) Wb. I, 321-322; R. Preys, Nekhbet, lil droit du dieu solaire,
RdE 61 (2010), pp. 159-177.
38
) Suggested by D. Meeks, Les oiseaux marqueurs du temps, BCLE
4 (1990), pp. 50-51 (not mentioned by the A.).

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BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LXVIII N 5-6, september-december 2011

9, 104:
Contrary to the A.s critique (p. 252, n. 1377), the phrase z
r t, descend to the ground, finds a direct parallel in the
autobiography of Harchebi of Buto, col. 3, which can be
translated: One who knows about all things, whether it be
visible in heaven, or descended to the earth (z.n=f r t; i.e.
the invisible, deceased decan stars); expert in their illumination and their extinguishing (ssA nf=sn n sm=sn).39) The
verb z r, to wait for (something), would make little sense
in Harchebi statue, as it is followed by the word t, earth.
10:
S.
M.
The A. read: So (?) er sich auf (?), rejecting any connection with the verb r, to ascend (p. 51, n. 196). Alternatively, this group word might write rr, to achieve, accomplish; to supply.40) Since the term first occurs in Late
Egyptian, the phonetic group writing orthography is not
unexpected; the determinative would derive from r,
horned animal.41) This passage could refer to the newborn
Re being supplied with a new physical body, as in other
solar texts.42)
17:
The A. translates the idiomatic phrase wb=f np=f as Er
ffnet seine Fruchtblase, citing only a suggestion by J.F.
Quack (p. 53, n. 210). This interpretation is pure conjecture,
as there is absolutely no evidence that np means amniotic
sac. This idiomatic phrase literally means to open up the
potters wheel, and thus to begin work on a piece of clay,
suitable for the beginning of creation.43) At the same time,
the combination of wb and np evokes two solar terms,
wbn, to rise, and nhp, early morning.
18:
The A. discusses the connections between Osiris and water,
but assumes it is only a late phenomenon (p. 135). In fact,
this theme occurs already in the Pyramid Texts.44)
18-19, 23-24 (pp. 135-139):
For Res purification in the arms of his father, Osiris, see
also J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books,
pp. 391-392, who already discussed this section of the Nut
39
) For the final phrase, see K. Jansen-Winkeln, Beitrge zu den Privatinschriften der Sptzeit, ZS 125 (1998), p. 10.
40
) Wb. I, 205, 15-18; R. Caminos, Late-Egyptian Miscellanies, p.
452[1]; L.H. Lesko, A Dictionary of Late Egyptian, I, p. 72. This verb may
be related to Coptic lale / loole, to cover; overlay (with silver or
gold), and Demotic rr, to work (copper); cf. W. Westendorf, Koptisches Handwrterbuch (Heidelberg, 1965-1977), p. 78; CDD , p. 97.
41
) D. Meeks, AL I, 77.0692; D. Klotz, Two Studies on the Late Period
Temples at Abydos, BIFAO 110 (2010), p. 148, n. c.
42
) In Urk. VIII, 142 (4), Amun smelted his physical body as an august
child (w.n=f .t=f m y sps). Similarly, Osorkon is said to be supplied
with a body (n(.w)=f m .t) at his birth; K. Jansen-Winkeln, Inschriften
der Sptzeit, II, 188, 8 (col. 4); R. Caminos, The Chronicle of Prince
Osorkon, 126, n. (ff).
43
) C. Manassa, The Late Egyptian Netherworld, I, pp. 177-180.
44
) J. Assmann, Das Leichensekret des Osiris: zur kultischen Bedeutung des Wassers im alten gypten, in N.-Chr. Grimal, et al. (eds.), Hommages Fayza Haikal, BdE 138 (Cairo, 2003), pp. 8-10.

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486

Book along with many iconographic and textual parallels


overlooked by the A.
19:
The A. reads: sw n=f t=f =f, as So lebt sein Vater(?)
und ist wirksam (p. 54, with n. 221). This section makes
more sense as two parallel clauses (sw + sm=f, Noun +
sm=f): he (Re) lives again, and his father (Osiris) becomes
an Akh-spirit, referring to the aftermath of the Solar-Osirian
unity.
In the commentary to this section, the A. notes the close
parallels to the Pyramid Texts (Spell 216): Man mchte fast
den Eindruck gewinnen, als spiele der Pyramidenspruch auf
das Nutbuch an, noting this might support the thesis that
parts of the Nut Book go back to the Old Kingdom (p. 136).
However, since the early date is far from convincing (cf.
infra), it is far more likely that the converse is true, especially since 216 remained popular after the Old Kingdom
(e.g. CT VIII, 113-121, includes twenty examples of this
spell from the Middle Kingdom alone).
23-24:
The A. dismisses a possible iconographic parallel (P. BM
10018), asserting allerdings ist diese Vignette ingesamt so
auergwhnlich da sie Kaum zum Vergleich herangezogen
werden kann (p. 137); yet immediately after the A. cites yet
a similar example (p. 137, n. 807). Since all of the cosmographic representations under discussion exhibit significant
differences, it is unclear how the A. determined this particular image the only one with a preserved hieroglyphic label
to be more unusual than the others.
Furthermore, the entire discussion of Osiris and his
upraised arm (pp. 137-139) would benefit from consulting
J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books, pp. 390-412
(discussing this passage as well).
29:
The A. is confused by the reference to solar rays entering
into the earth (n p t), since the sun has already risen and
knnen seine Strahlen wohl kaum noch in der Erde verborgen sein (p. 57, n. 252). The underlying concept here is that
the solar rays penetrate everywhere, even underground, and
this idea finds expression in many solar hymns.45)
31-33 (p. 141, n. 831):
For the relatively common image of Re sitting on the heavenly cows horns, see now: U. Verhoeven, Das Kind im
Gehrn der Himmelskuh und vergleichbare Rindermotive,
in J.-C. Goyon, C. Cardin (eds), Proceedings of the Ninth
International Congress of Egyptologists Grenoble, 6-12
Septembre 2004, II, OLA 150 (Leuven, 2007), pp. 18991910.
37-38:
The A. reads: r gr.t bw nb sw n p.t sw n t dw.t pw r r=s,
Was nun jeden Ort angeht, leer(?) von Himmel und leer
von Erde, das ist die gesamte Duat (p. 60, with n. 274). A
more idiomatic translation might be: As for any place
which is neither heaven nor earth, it is all (part of) the Duat.
45
) J. Assmann, Egyptian Solar Religion in the New Kingdom: Re,
Amun and the crisis of polytheism (New York, 1995), pp. 72-74.

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487

A NEW EDITION OF THE BOOK OF NUT

46:
The New Kingdom versions state that the stars rest in
the Duat (S) and in Heliopolis (R). The A. wonders:
Sollte hier Heliopolis (bzw. genauer ein dort befindliches
Heiligtum) als nchtlicher Aufenthalt der Sonne intendiert
sein? (p. 145). A number of texts locate the entrance to
the Duat in Heliopolis,46) and Heliopolitan toponyms feature prominently in the Amduat and other underworld
books.47)
56, 69: wb m-t sqdd=f

(var.

The A. read the first example: Danach geht (er) hervor und
fhrt dahin in ihrem Inneren (p. 72), but the grammar is not
as problematic as n. 340 suggests. Understand: narrative
infinitive (wb) + compound preposition (m-t) + nominal
sm=f (sqdd=f); essentially an adverbial sentence (A + preposition + B). Literally, one can read: the opening up (of the
potters wheel) is after his sailing; or more naturally: (he)
opens up (the potters wheel) after sailing. This translation
is not only grammatically preferable, but it accurately corresponds to the sequence of the solar cycle: Re enters the
Duat through Nuts mouth (55), and then exits the womb
(opens the potters wheel) after sailing through her
body.48)
In both examples, the A. assumes that m in the prepostion
m-nw is written twice, zunchst im Klartext, danach
kryptographisch (p. 72, n. 342). Instead, the first m should
represent the adverb m, thence, referring back to Nuts
mouth (55; 69); m-nw=s refers to the Duat, as in 55.
89: n =n n m.tw=n
The A. suggests: Emendiere zu m.tw=sn (p. 80, n. 404).
No correction is necessary, as both phrases are examples of
the sm.n(w) passive identified by E. Edel, Die Herkunt des
neugyptisch-koptischen Personalsuffixes der 3. Person Plural w, ZS 84 (1959), p. 33, who already discussed this
passage (not mentioned by the A.).
96:
The A. corrects the last group to the third person plural suffix-pronoun: (So stritt Geb mit Nut), weil er zornig war
wegen des sie Fressens (r wnm=sn), arguing that this
emendation is necessary (p. 81, n. 410). Alternatively, one
can simply read this as a relative: he was angry because of
those whom she ate (wnm.w=s).
116, 132:
Both passages discuss the bones (qs.w) of the decan stars
which fall to the earth (116) and transform into people
(132), just as their tears become fish (117). The A. translates the first instance as Knochen, (p. 89), but the latter
as bel (qsn) (p. 92), and states that this reading is Ein46
) E.g. G. Posener, Le Papyrus Vandier (Cairo, 1985), pp. 54-55; note
also that the Ogdoad enter the underworld in Heliopolis before travelling to
Medinet Habu: Opet I, 27; Urk. VIII, 95c; 145i; Deir Chelouit I, 31, 10.
47
) C. Manassa, The Late Egyptian Netherworld, I, pp. 424-440.
48
) Since the translation jumbles the sequence of events, the A. is
erstaunt that the verb wb would be used to describe the entrance into
the Netherworld (p. 150). Instead, the entrance occurs in 55 with the
expected verb (q m n nr pn), the exit in 56.

95014_Bior_2011_5-6_01.indd 475

488

deutig (n. 504), clearly influenced by PC1. However, the


orthography is identical in both passages of the Osireion version (
), and the mythological account only makes sense
if one translates bones in both places, as the A. appears to
recognize in the commentary (pp. 169, 172).
In the second example of the Osireion version (132), this
word is followed by . The A. did not comment on the
latter sign (perhaps assuming it was a determinative or
phonetic complement for qsn), but parallelism with the
preceding clause (n tp.w=sn, their heads come alive;
131) suggests reading the nose sn (< sn, to kiss; to
smell): qs.w=sn pr(.w) m rm.w, their bones transform
into people. See already V. Vikentiev, ASAE 43, p. 16.
148:
Perhaps restore
, pr, rather than
gests (p. 96, n. 532).

as the A. sug-

x+9:
Since r-w is a compound meaning night (Wb. III, 226,
2), one could simply translate: (until) night arrives (spr
r-w). The general sense of x+7-9 is: Sailing in the day
bark (mn.t), which is visible (m m=s) from dawn, when
Re appears, (until) evening arrives.
Here as in other places, the A. appears to be unfamiliar
with the narrative use of the infinitive (cf. Gardiner, EG
306, 2), preferring to break the section into terse disconnected statements or captions: In der Mandjetbarke Dahinfahren. In ihr Sehen bei Sonnenaufgang, wenn Re sich zeigt.
Die Nacht ber Ankommen(?) (p. 98).
Grammar
Translating the Middle Egyptian versions of the text, the
A. pays surprisingly little attention to grammar, particularly regarding verbal morphology and syntax. 49) For
example, most nominal sm=f (mrr=f) forms are translated
as simple indicative present tenses, whether emphasizing
an adverbial adjunct or forming a Wechselsatz.50) This
disregard for verbal nuances is inexcusable for the present
text, since the scribe of PC1 accurately transposed the
grammar accurately into Demotic, a feature which Richard
Parker discussed in detail over half a century ago!51) While
the A. briefly acknowledges the latter article (p. 262), it
is only to retort that the later scribes might not have
always understood the earlier verbal forms properly
without providing any examples of such confusion in PC1
or elsewhere. It is as if the A. assumed even the New Kingdom scribes were incapable of understanding the original
grammar, and thus did not pay close attention to the verbal
system.

49
) This might be explained by the A.s decision to translate the New
Kingdom and Roman Period versions together as a single ideal text, except
when there are major variants (pp. 45-46); the A. appears to prefer the
grammar of the late papyri, although one would expect the oldest Middle
Egyptian copies to take precedence in a critical edition.
50
) For ignored examples of the Nominal sm=f, see 55, 56, 57, 68,
69, 85, 90. In addition, the A. curiously translates most examples of the
perfective sm.n=f in the present indicative tense; e.g. 111, 118, 133,
136.
51
) R.A. Parker, The Function of the Imperfective sm.f in Middle
Egyptian, RdE 10 (1955), pp. 49-59.

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BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LXVIII N 5-6, september-december 2011

Conclusions
The present review has dwelt largely upon the difficult hieroglyphic text of the Osireion and the various problems in the
A.s translation, particularly regarding grammar and cryptography. This emphasis is largely because the A. spends much time
in the concluding chapters discussing the original date of the
text. After a long and well-researched methodological introduction about the Egyptian language and archaizing texts (pp.
223ff), the A. concludes that Egyptians of the Late Period were
incapable of correctly understanding earlier texts, much less
producing new compositions in older stages of the language.
For the A., archaisms do not exist in Egypt; when relics of
Old or Middle Egyptian occur in later texts, they must be direct
quotations, pieced together via a patchwork technique.
A detailed discussion of this polemic on textual transmission and archaisms would far exceed the present review.52)
It is ironic, however, that the A. does not distinguish between
Middle Egyptian verbal forms, yet repeatedly questions the
ability of Late Period scribes to do the same. The negative
estimation of scribal competence is difficult to accept, given
the As previous attempts to translate Roman Period inscriptions,53) not to mention the philological problems in the present book. The A. compares these priests and scribes to modern Germans reading Hochdeutsch with only passive
Lesekompetenz (p. 258). Yet Egyptians of the Late Period
immersed themselves in Old and Middle Egyptian hieroglyphic and hieratic texts; they recited them in daily liturgies
and rituals, they actively copied ancient monuments on
papyri, recarved earlier inscriptions during renovations, and
imitated biographical, historical, literary, funerary, and temple texts in their private monuments.
It is absurd to argue that scribes of the Graeco-Roman
Period, many of whom mastered Demotic, Greek, hieratic and
hieroglyphs, were incapable of distinguishing between sm=f
and sm.n=f in the earlier inscriptions, or of realizing that Late
Egyptian texts (i.e. Ramesside and Third Intermediate Period)
were not as old as the Old and Middle Kingdoms especially
when the Demotic grammar of PC1 demonstrates the opposite.
The A. devotes considerable attention to establishing the
textual history of the Nut Book (pp. 37-44, 223-254). Since
numerous indications point towards the Middle Kingdom
(e.g. the repeated use of -t.wy to write nw [p. 33]; the
position of the decan stars [p. 42]), the A. assumes the book
was first compiled out of disparate sources in the Twelfth
Dynasty, with certain portions going back to the Old Kingdom (pp. 42-44, 251-254). The latter assertion is intentionally provocative, but the textual evidence is quite flimsy:
Apparent examples of the Nominal sentence AB pw are
typisch altgyptische (p. 251, no supporting references). Both examples actually appear to be parenthetic
glosses introduced by pw (e.g. 15: Kenmet and AbShetwy live (that means: Horus lives), rather than:
52
) Nonetheless, see D. Kurth, Zur Definition des Ptolemischen, GM
229 (2011), pp. 65-79, for a rebuttal against recent arguments that that all
Graeco-Roman temple inscriptions are mere copies, and that Ptolemaic
scribes were incapable of producing original texts in good Middle Egyptian; cf. also S. Cauville, Dendara XV, pp. 6-7.
53
) A. von Lieven, Der Himmel ber Esna: eine Fallstudie zur
religisen Astronomie in gypten am Beispiel der kosmologischen Deckenund Architravinschriften im Tempel von Esna, gAb 64 (Wiesbaden,
2000); see the very critical review by D. Kurth, OLZ 99 (2004), pp. 25-34.

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490

Das Leben von Kenmet zusammen mit Ab-Schetui ist


das Leben des Horus, p. 52)
The particle sk and the phrase nn n sb.w, these stars,
are supposedly typisch fr die Sprache des AR (p.
251, no supporting references); but these features are
perfectly correct in Middle Egyptian.54) The same
remark applies to the example of r sm.t=f.
Although the prothetic yod is more common in Old and
Late Egyptian, the deverbal noun qd, builder appears in
all stages of the language, including Coptic (Wb. V, 74).
The A. wisely demurs from employing the sw sm=f
form as evidence of earlier dating because it is never
actually attested in the Old Kingdom55) but nevertheless notes it as a faint possibility (pp. 251-252).
Furthermore, the A. quotes a handful of words which supposedly only occur in the Pyramid Texts oder in Texten
() die vollstndig oder in ihrer Inspiration auf das AR
zurckgehen (p. 252). Since all words in question continued
to be carved through the Graeco-Roman Period, even if in
archaizing texts, how can one argue that their meaning was
forgotten after the Old Kingdom? For example, the word
dnn, to protect, occurs elsewhere at Abydos under Sety
I (i.e. contemporaneous with the Osireion texts), 56) and
apparently survived into Coptic as tonj.57)
These several debatable observations do not amount to
eine Reihe von Belegen proving that smtliche Kapitel
des Basistextes ins AR zu datieren sind (p. 253). Instead,
most indices point to an origin in the Middle Kingdom,
including the verbal system which the A. largely overlooks.
Moreover, if the work originated in a Middle Kingdom royal
pyramid complex or temple in the Fayyum (e.g. the Labyrinth),58) this might explain the inscriptions popularity at
Tebtunis in the Graeco-Roman Period.
The A. advocates such an early date in part to aggrandize
the importance and popularity of the Nut Book, deeming it
ein Referenzwerk that was still copied and annotated
mehr als 25 Jahrhunderte nach seiner mutmalichen Entstehung. (p. 296). In the concluding chapter, the A. decides
that the Egyptians must have valued the text primarily as a
scientific treatise, not as a religious composition. Yet Egyptian astronomical conceptions had changed greatly over the
centuries, particularly under Assyrian, Persian, Ptolemaic
and Roman rule and cultural influence, and Greek and
54
) Cf. also the frequent use of nn n nr.w/nr.yt in other Underworld
Books; J.C. Darnell, The Enigmatic Netherworld Books, pp. 454-464.
55
) See most recently J.A. Roberson, Observations on the So-Called
sw sm=f, or Middle Egyptian Proclitic Pronoun Construction, in Z.
Hawass, J.H. Wegner (eds.), Millions of Jubilees, Studies in Honor of
David P. Silverman (Cairo, 2010), pp. 185-205.
56
) A.M. Calverley, The Temple of King Sethos I at Abydos, II (Chicago,
1935), Pl. 19 (lower right), Briefly noted by the A., who dismissed it as a
variant of a Pyramid Text (p. 253, n. 1382).
57
) W. Westendorf, Koptisches Handwrterbuch, p. 238; for this verb,
see also L.V. Zabkar, Adaptation of Egyptian Texts to the Temple Ritual
at Philae, JEA 66 (1980), p. 133, n. 35.
58
) For connections between the Amduat and Middle Kingdom royal
tombs, see U. Rssler-Khler, Knigliche Vorstellungen zu Grab und Jenseits im Mittleren Reich. 1: Ein Gottesbegrbnis des Mittleren Reiches in
kniglichem Kontext: Amduat, 4. und 5. Stunde, in R. Gundlach (ed.),
Das frhe gyptische Knigtum, AT 36 (Wiesbaden, 1999), pp. 73-96;
J.F. Wegner, The Tomb of Senwosret III at Abydos: Considerations on
the Origins and Development of the Royal Amduat Tomb, in D. Silverman, et al. (eds.), Archaism and Innovation: Studies in the Culture of Middle Kingdom Egypt (New Haven, 2009), pp. 103-169.

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491

THE SEPTUAGINT AND ALEXANDRIAN SCHOLARSHIP

492

Demotic astrological papyri have little in common with the


cosmographic view of the Nut Book. Nonetheless, the A.
argues that the text provided an important theoretical basis
for Egyptian astronomers, 59 ) and even suggests that
hroskopoi would consult this book during religious festivals
of the Graeco-Roman Period (pp. 297-298). However, the A.
does not explain what practical information a hroskopos
might find in PC1 or the hieratic papyri.
The later copies of the Nut Book hardly support the A.s
thesis that this text was a fundamental study of astronomy in
ancient Egypt. Rather, they appear to be copies (or copies of
copies) of the New Kingdom composition as it appeared at
Abydos or in the Theban tombs, two popular tourist destinations in the Graeco-Roman Period, similar to other Tebtunis
papyri which preserve tomb inscriptions of the First Intermediate Period from Asyut. Yet PC1 is more than just a translation of the earlier text, since it also contains numerous references to more recent astronomical treatises (pp. 284-290) and
to a text apparently called the Solution (bl), a separate
volume of commentary to the Nut Book.60) These annotations
suggest that the Nut Book was copied for antiquarian interest,
to assist curious Egyptians or foreign visitors in reading the
monumental versions and understanding how the ancient cosmographic ideas correspond to more recent theories.
The numerous criticisms notwithstanding, this book is a
useful work written by a gifted and well-read Egyptologist.
The A. is to be congratulated for identifying and publishing
the new parallels from scattered papyrus collections, not to
mention the thought-provoking concluding essays. If the A.
had published these items alone, perhaps as separate articles,
there would be little reason for complaint but then we
would not have the useful synoptic text, which has already
become the standard edition. The Nut Book is a challenging
text, and any potential translator must understand Egyptian
astronomy and religion, Late Hieratic, New Kingdom cryptography, Middle Egyptian, and Demotic. The A. is undoubtedly an expert in Graeco-Roman papyri and astronomy, but
the book pays little regard to the earliest hieroglyphic versions and suffers as a result. Yet although future researchers will still need to pay careful attention to the translations
and grammar, all will benefit considerably from this updated,
convenient, and more complete edition of a difficult but endlessly fascinating text.
September 2011

59
) Notable is the A.s translation of the composition: Grundri des
Laufes der Sterne (t sn sm.t nt sb.w) (pp. 125-126). The Egyptian phrase
literally translates to Blueprint of the Movement of the Stars and refers to
the actual Nut Book, a two-dimensional representation of the celestial circuit.
However, the A. understands the term sn in an extended sense, just like German Grundri (cf. A. von Lieven, Translating the Fundamentals of the
Course of the Stars, in A. Imhausen, T. Pommerening (eds.), Writings of
Early Scholars in the Ancient Near East, Egypt, Rome, and Greece [Berlin,
2010], pp. 139-150), noting only one example for such a meaning, namely the
Book of the Fayyum, another artistic rendering of a physical space (p. 125).
60
) One might compare the similar practice of keeping commentary tablets alongside copies of older omen texts in Babylonian archives of the first
millennium BCE; e.g. E. Frahm, Royal Hermeneutics: Observations on the
Commentaries from Assurbanipals Libraries at Nineveh, Iraq 66 (1994),
pp. 46-50.

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