Papyrus of Ani

Findspot
Excavated/Findspot: Tomb of Ani (Thebes)
Africa: Egypt: Upper Egypt: Tomb of Ani (Thebes)

Production date
1250BC

Description
'Book of the Dead', Papyrus of Ani (frame 3): Ani's Judgment: the scene is the Hall of
Judgment. Centrally placed is a balance, holding in its two pans Ani's heart (on the left)
and a feather (on the right) representing Maat, the divine personification of truth and
order. The crossbar of the balance hangs from a feather-shaped peg attached to the
upright support, on the top of which squats a small baboon. This creature is a form of the
god Thoth, who acts in a different form and with a different duty elsewhere in this "trial".
The god Anubis, here shown as a jackal-headed, human-bodied, kneeling deity, described
as "he who is in the place of embalming," holds the cord of the right-hand pan, and
steadies the plumb bob of the balance. To the right of the balance stands Thoth, here in
human form with ibis head; he is the scribe of the gods, and he holds a scribe's palette
and a reed brush, ready to note down the results of Ani's interrogation. On a mat behind
Thoth sits a monster ready to spring forward to consume Ani's heart if he fails to pass the
test. This creature has the head of a crocodile, the forepart of a lion, and the hindquarters
of a hippopotamus. At the top of the scene the great gods of Egypt are shown, formally
seated on thrones, waiting to deliver judgment: Ra-Horakhty, Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb,
Nut, Isis and Nephthys, Horus and Hathor, joined by gods personifying the divine word
(Hu) and perception (Sia). Other deities observe the proceedings: to the left of the
balance, Shay (fate) and, strangely, two birth goddesses, Renenutet and Meskhenet. Ani's
soul or 'ba' bird, which will allow him freedom of movement in and out of the tomb after
death, perches on a shrine-shaped building, ready to be released if judgment is given in
Ani's favor. Into this formidable gathering comes Ani, accompanied by his wife Tutu.
They enter from the left, bending forward in proper humility, and Ani mutters the words
of Spell 30B of the 'Book of the Dead', which are addressed to his heart in the balance.
All, it seems, goes well for Ani; he has qualified for the Afterlife.