The great door the Duat

The great door the Duat

This is also a well-known vignette. It is, however, more symbologically rich than is commonly assumed. The scene is usually described as follows: Sennedjem, having arrived in the west, pushes the yellow door open with black laths, allowing him to enter the underworld. This door is also known as “The Great Door the Duat” in another tomb.
First and foremost, it should be recognised that the entrance appears between the sky sign at the top and the horizon’s double hill below. The hinges, on the other hand, are in the middle rather than on the sides. As a result, it is evident that we do not have a double door, but rather two distinct doors, each corresponding to one of the two horizons; individuals from the divine realm and those from the realm of the living
The solar barque is depicted in the adjacent panel 7: it has just left through the western leaf of the entrance, while Sennedjem is ready to return through the eastern leaf. If he is a member of the barque’s crew, he will likewise depart via the western leaf.

Object Details

The great door the Duat

New Kingdom

Dynasty 19, Reigns of Seti I and the first years of Ramesses II

 

1323 BC to 1268 BC

Egypt, Luxor, Deir el-Medina

Deir el-Medina, Tomb TT1

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