The outline of the studies on the role of the children of Horus in ancient egyptian book of the dead
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32461/2226-0285.1.2016.148425Keywords:
ancient Egyptian religion, ancient Egyptian gods, the Children of HorusAbstract
The purpose of the research. The paper gives an overview of the studies of the role of the four interrelated gods, named "The Children of Horus". Even in the contemporary Egyptological studies, these gods are often considered mainly as the protectors of the organs of the deceased. Nevertheless, some researches point out that this function of the gods was not the only, and probably not the main one. The ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead is a good example of the source that can confirm this statement as it presents the gods in many different contexts. The research methodology applied to this study is the use of a comprehensive and objective analysis of all known works, which study the Book of the Dead and which consider the Children of Horus. Scientific novelty. A comprehensive analysis of such studies helps to determine the level of elaboration of the theme of the role of the gods in the Book of the Dead. It also contributes to a better comprehension of the essence of these gods in general. This significantly expands the understanding of their functions and puts the them out of the sphere of the dead body guards only. Conclusions. In the analyzed studies, there is a lack of the detailed study of the role of the Children of Horus. There is also a lack of the advanced analysis. Analysis of the topic development shows that current works can be an excellent basis for the further studies on the role of the Children of Horus in the Book of the Dead. At the same time, the same works emphasize the relevance and the need for new studies.
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