Egyptian Gods
Ancient Egyptian Gods, Goddesses and Religion
Celestial Ferryman
Picture: 'He whose face is behind him' is one of the many names of the god often called the 'Celestial Ferryman'Papyrus of Anhai. British Museum.
The 'Celestial Ferryman' of Egyptological literature represents a deity of numerous names. Frequently attested in the Pyramid Texts, the god ferries the deceased king across the 'Shifting Waterway' (which may perhaps be identified with the ecliptic - the apparent path of the sun and planets through the heavens), to the abode of Ra, or the afterlife 'field of offerings' (PT 999, etc.) The divine ferryman is known as Her-ef-ha-ef 'He whose face is behind him' or by any of a dozen other names - many of which have similar meaning such as Ma-ha-ef 'He whose sight is behind him' - and which seem to be linked to his role. Less frequently attested in later periods, the god is sometimes depicted in the vignettes of the New Kingdom funerary texts seated or standing in his barque and being hailed by the deceased. In the Papyrus of Anhai he is shown, according to many of his descriptive names, with his head facing backwards. | ||||||||||
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