Identification
Title | Ramesseum (Second Hypostyle Hall) |
Type | Astronomical Representation |
Decan List Family | AR1 |
EAT3 Number and Name | 8 Ramses II A |
EAT3 Pages and Plates | 17-18, Pl 5 |
EAT3 Decan List Family | Senmut A |
Publications | Nelson and Hoelscher (1929) vol VI Pl. 478 |
Location | In situ; Ceiling of Second Hypostyle Hall, Ramesseum, West Bank, Thebes |
Date | 19th dynasty |
Content
Registers | 3 |
Circumpolar Group and Deities | Yes: 8 figures + ?king behind hippo ; 10 figures + king opposite |
Planets |
Superior: Jupiter, Saturn, Mars Inferior: Mercury, Venus |
Decan Names | Yes |
Decanal Stars | Yes |
Personifications of the Decans | No |
Cluster Numbers | Yes |
Depictions of Decanal Constellations | Yes |
Decanal Deity Names | Yes |
Decanal Deity Figures | No |
Lunar Months | Yes: 12 figures labelled with the names of the lunar months |
Civil Months | Yes: along the top of the diagram, starting with III Peret on the right |
Nut | No |
Other features | In the middle of the lowest register, directly under the circumpolar group and Sahu and Sopdet, there is a depiction of a baboon sitting on a djed-pillar. This is a direct analogue to a typical water clock over-spout decoration. |
Notes
The ceiling was carved and painted, although only traces of paint remain now. It is flanked by architraves, the inside surface of which are decorated with two processions of deities, including three personified decans.
Schematic
Legend for Schematic | |
---|---|
C | Circumpolar group of constellations |
A | Circumpolar attendant deities |
D | Decans |
P | Planets |
M | Lunar months (figures and labels, with King offering) |
X | Other cosmic deities: a baboon sitting on a djed-pillar |
Location and orientation of the circumpolar hippo |
|
Indicates the starting point and directionality of list or procession of figures |
Decan List
The list gives an approximate layout for how the decans, deities, cluster labels (x-nwt Xt), and decanal figures (in bold) are arranged. However, the only way of perceiving the complete layout and orthography of the labels is by consulting photographs, drawings, or the original. For conventions and abbreviations, see below the table.
The layout of the list is very similar to that of the Water clock (Amenhotep III). However, the composition of decan and planet list differs in two important respects to that in the water clock and Tomb of Senenmut:
- The order of the Sahu decans
- The inclusion of the decan 34 rmn sAH
- The inclusion of the third superior planet, Mars
These three aspects caused Neugebauer and Parker to make a subgroup of the Senmut family that contained this representation and the Medinet Habu ceiling, plus one "procession" of planets and decans (Ramses II B, which contains only three decans). This subfamily is called "Senmut A" in EAT3.
1 tpy-a knmt | Hapy, Imseti | |
3 Xry xpd knmt, 2 knmt | Isis | |
4 HAt DAt, 5 pH<wy> DAt | Duamutef, Children of Horus | |
6 TmAt Hrt, 7 TmAt Xrt | Duamutef | |
8 wSAti, 9 bkAti | Duamutef, Hapy | |
10 tpy<-a> xntt, 11 <xntt> Hrt | Horus | |
12 xntt Xrt | ||
13 Tms n xntt | Boat | |
14 sApti xnwy | Isis, Nephthys | |
15 Hry-ib wiA | Horus | |
16 sSmw | Horus | |
17 knmw | Children of Horus | |
18 tpy-a smd | Horus | |
19 smd | Hapy | Sheep |
20 sit | Isis, 3-nwt Xt | |
21 sAwy sit | Duamutef | |
22 Xry xpd srt | Kebehsenuf | |
23 tpy-a Ax<wy> | Duamutef | |
24 Axw<y> | Duamutef, Kebehsenuf | |
25 bAw<y> | Hapy, Imseti | 4-nwt Xt |
26 xntw Hr<w>, 27 <xntw> Xrw | Children of Horus | |
28 qd, 29 sAwy qd | Hapy, <Isis, 5-nwt> Xt, 30 xAw, Children of Horus | |
31 art | Eye of Horus |
Sahu |
33 Xry rmn sAH | Children of Horus | |
[35 sAH] | Stars of Sahu | |
34 rmn sAH | Eye of Horus | |
32 Hry rmn sAH | Children of Horus | |
36 spdt | Isis | Sopdet |
SP1 Hr-tAS-tAwy rn=f pt rsyt |
Planet | |
SP2 Hr-kA-pt rn=f DA pt iAbty sbA | Planet | |
SP3 Hr-Axty rn=f sbA imnty <n pt> sqdd=f m xtxt |
Planet | |
A Stwy | Turtles | |
B nsrw | Xt -pw | |
C sSpt | Horus | |
E abSs | D hpds | |
F "stp" <nTr wAS> | Duamutef | |
IP1 sbg | Horus | |
IP2 DA bnw |
Osiris | Benu |
The decan numbers and letters shown here are for the decan family AR1.
SP = superior planet
IP = inferior planet
Grey shading = damage
< > = omitted but understood
[ ] = damaged text
The number of star symbols accompanying the decans is also omitted here, as it is often impossible to tell to which decan the symbols refer. EAT3 deals with star symbols in some detail.