Aker (deity): Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Ancient Egyptian earth and underworld god}} |
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:''For the [[Australian rules]] footballer commonly known as Aker, see [[Jason Akermanis]].'' |
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{{Infobox deity |
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| type = Egyptian |
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| name = Aker |
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| image = Aker.svg |
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| caption = Twin lions (yesterday and tomorrow) believed to guard the eastern and western horizons as the points where the sun touches the twin-peaked mountain top of the earth where it leaves and re-enters the underworld. |
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| hiero = <hiero>A-k:r</hiero><br />or<br /><hiero>A-k:r-E20</hiero> |
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| consort = |
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| symbol = Horizon |
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}}'''Aker''' was an [[ancient Egypt]]ian personification of the [[horizon]], and an earth and underworld god, believed to guard the eastern (Bakhu) and western ([[Land of Manu|Manu]]) horizons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Mountains and Horizon of Ancient Egypt |url=http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/horizon.htm |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=www.touregypt.net}}</ref> |
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== Description == |
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[[image:3kr.jpg|right|thumb|240px|see [[Talk:Aker|talk page]] ]]<!-- please leave for a few days, say until Sept 14 so other can enjoy / retch --> |
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{{Ancient Egyptian religion}} |
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In [[Egyptian mythology]], '''Aker''' (also spelt '''Akar''') was one of the earliest gods worshipped, and was the deification of the [[horizon]]. There are strong indications that Aker was worshipped before other known Egyptian gods of the earth, such as [[Geb]]. In particular, the [[Pyramid Texts|Pyramid texts]] make a sinister statement that the '''Akeru''' (plural of ''Aker'') will not seize the [[pharaoh]], as if this were something that might have happened, and was something of which to be afraid. ''Aker'' itself translates as ''(one who) bends'', and thus ''Akeru'' translates as ''benders'', though in what sense this is meant, is not fully understood. |
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Aker was first depicted as the torso of a recumbent lion with a widely opened mouth. Later, he was depicted as two recumbent lion torsos merged with each other and still looking away from each other.<ref name=LGG>Christian Leitz: ''Lexikon der ägyptischen Götter und Götterbezeichnungen (LGG)'' (= ''Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta'', vol. 6). Peeters Publishers, Leuven 2002, {{ISBN|9042911514}}, pp. 83 - 85.</ref> |
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From [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]] onwards Aker appears as a pair of twin lions, one named ''Duaj'' (meaning "tomorrow") and the other ''Sefe'' (meaning "yesterday"). Aker was thus often titled "He who's looking forward and behind". When depicted as a lion pair, a [[hieroglyph]]ic sign for "[[Akhet (hieroglyph)|horizon]]" (two merged mountains) and a sun disc was put between the lions; the lions were sitting back-on-back.<ref name=PRA>Pat Remler: ''Egyptian Mythology, A to Z''. Infobase Publishing, 2010, {{ISBN|1438131801}}, pp. 4 & 5.</ref> |
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As the horizon, Aker was also seen as symbolic of the borders between each day, and so was originally depicted as a narrow strip of land (i.e. a horizon), with heads on either side, facing away from one another, a symbol of borders. Since the sun reaches its peak (its [[solstice]]) in the [[zodiac]] of [[leo]], these heads were usually those of [[lion]]s. Over time, the heads became full figures of lions (still facing away from each other), one representing the concept of ''[[yesterday]]'' (''Sef'' in [[Egyptian language|Egyptian]]), and the other the concept of ''[[today]]'' (''Duau'' in Egyptian). |
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In later times, Aker can also appear as two merged torsos of recumbent [[Sphinx#Egypt|sphinx]]es with human heads.<ref name=FAB/> |
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Consequently, Aker often became referred to as ''Ruti'', the Egyptian word meaning ''two lions''. Between them would often appear the [[hieroglyph]] for ''horizon'', which was the sun's disc placed between two mountains. Sometimes the lions were depicted as being covered with [[leopard]]-like spots, leading some to think it a depiction of the extinct [[Barbary lion]], which, unlike African species, had a spotted coat. |
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== Cult == |
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Since the horizon was where night became day, Aker was said to guard the entrance and exit to the underworld, opening them for the sun to pass through during the night. As the guard, it was said that the dead had to request Aker to open the [[Duat|underworld]]'s gates, so that they might enter. Also, as all who had died had to pass Aker, it was said that Aker annulled the causes of death, such as extracting the poison from any [[snake]]s that had bitten the deceased, or from any [[scorpion]]s that had stung them. |
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Aker appears for the first time during the [[First Dynasty of Egypt|1st Dynasty]] with the kings ([[pharaoh]]s) [[Hor Aha]] and [[Djer]].<ref name=LGG/> An unfinished decorative palette from the tomb of Djer at [[Abydos, Egypt|Abydos]] shows Aker devouring three hearts.<ref>Peter Kaplony: ''Die Inschriften der ägyptischen Frühzeit'', 3rd edition. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1963, pp. 65.</ref> The location of Aker's main cult center is unknown, though. His mythological role was fully described for the first time in the famous [[Pyramid Texts]] of king [[Teti]].<ref name=LGG/> |
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== Mythology == |
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As the Egyptians believed that the gates of the morning and evening were guarded by Aker, they sometimes placed twin statues of lions at the doors of their palaces and tombs. This was to guard the households and tombs from evil spirits and other malevolent beings. This practice was adopted by the Greeks and Romans, and is still unknowingly followed by some today. Unlike most of the other Egyptian deities, the worship of Aker remained popular well into the Greco-Roman era. Aker had no temples of his own like the main gods in the Egyptian religion, since he was more connected to the primeval concepts of the very old earth powers. |
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[[File:Aker or ruti and the akhet.jpg|thumb|Hieroglyphic for the horizon guarded by Aker, with the sun-disk rising between the symbolic horizon (𓈌) between them. The hieroglyph for sky (𓇯) spans across the top.|left]] |
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Aker was first described as one of the earth gods guarding the "gate to the yonder site". He protected the deceased king against the three demonic snakes ''Hemtet'', ''Iqeru'' and ''Jagw''. By "encircling" (i.e. interring) the deceased king, Aker sealed the deceased away from the poisonous breath of the snake demons. Another earth deity, who joined and promoted Aker's work, was [[Geb]]. Thus, Aker was connected with Geb. In other spells and prayers, Aker is connected with [[Set (deity)|Seth]] and even determined with the [[Set animal]]. This is interesting, because Seth is described as a wind deity, not as an earth deity.<ref name=GMD>Georg Meurer: ''Die Feinde des Königs in den Pyramidentexten'' (= ''Orbis biblicus et orientalis'', vol. 189). Saint-Paul, 2002, {{ISBN|3525530463}}, pp. 295, 296 & 311.</ref><ref name=LGG/> |
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In the famous [[Coffin Texts]] of Middle Kingdom period, Aker replaces the god [[Kherty]], becoming now the "ferryman of [[Ra]] in his nocturnal barque |
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". Aker protects the sun god during his nocturnal travelling through the underworld caverns.<ref name=LGG/> In the famous ''[[Book of the Dead]]'', Aker also "gives birth" to the god [[Khepri]], the young, rising sun in the shape of a [[Dung beetle|scarab beetle]], after Aker has carried Khepri's sarcophagus safely through the underworld caverns. In other underworld scenes, Aker carries the nocturnal barque of Ra. During his journey, in which Aker is asked to hide the body of the dead [[Osiris]] beneath his womb, Aker is protected by the god Geb.<ref name=FAB>Friedrich Abitz: ''Pharao als Gott in den Unterweltsbüchern des Neuen Reiches'' (= ''Orbis biblicus et orientalis'', vol. 146). Saint-Paul, 1995, {{ISBN|3525537816}}, pp. 119, 158 & 159.</ref> |
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In several inscriptions, wall paintings and reliefs, Aker was connected to the horizon of the North and the West, forming a mythological bridge between the two horizons with his body. Certain sarcophagus texts from the tombs of [[Ramesses IV]], Djedkhonsuiusankh and [[Pediamenopet]] describe how the sun god Ra travels through the underworld "like [[Apep|Apophis]] going through the belly of Aker after Apophis was cut by Seth". In this case, Aker seems to be some kind of representation of the underworld itself.<ref name=GPE>Geraldine Pinch: ''Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt''. Oxford University Press, Oxford (UK) 2004, {{ISBN|0195170245}}, page 99.</ref> |
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[[ca:Aker]] |
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[[de:Aker]] |
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== See also == |
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[[fr:Aker]] |
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* [[Aqen]] |
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[[nl:Aker (Egypte)]] |
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[[no:Aker]] |
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== References == |
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[[pl:Aker]] |
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{{reflist}} |
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[[scn:Aker]] |
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{{Ancient Egyptian religion footer|collapsed}} |
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[[Category:Egyptian underworld]] |
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Latest revision as of 09:18, 13 November 2024
| Aker | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Twin lions (yesterday and tomorrow) believed to guard the eastern and western horizons as the points where the sun touches the twin-peaked mountain top of the earth where it leaves and re-enters the underworld. | ||||||||
| Name in hieroglyphs |
or
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| Symbol | Horizon | |||||||
Aker was an ancient Egyptian personification of the horizon, and an earth and underworld god, believed to guard the eastern (Bakhu) and western (Manu) horizons.[1]
Description
[edit]| Part of a series on |
| Ancient Egyptian religion |
|---|
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 Ancient Egypt portal |
Aker was first depicted as the torso of a recumbent lion with a widely opened mouth. Later, he was depicted as two recumbent lion torsos merged with each other and still looking away from each other.[2]
From Middle Kingdom onwards Aker appears as a pair of twin lions, one named Duaj (meaning "tomorrow") and the other Sefe (meaning "yesterday"). Aker was thus often titled "He who's looking forward and behind". When depicted as a lion pair, a hieroglyphic sign for "horizon" (two merged mountains) and a sun disc was put between the lions; the lions were sitting back-on-back.[3]
In later times, Aker can also appear as two merged torsos of recumbent sphinxes with human heads.[4]
Cult
[edit]Aker appears for the first time during the 1st Dynasty with the kings (pharaohs) Hor Aha and Djer.[2] An unfinished decorative palette from the tomb of Djer at Abydos shows Aker devouring three hearts.[5] The location of Aker's main cult center is unknown, though. His mythological role was fully described for the first time in the famous Pyramid Texts of king Teti.[2]
Mythology
[edit]
Aker was first described as one of the earth gods guarding the "gate to the yonder site". He protected the deceased king against the three demonic snakes Hemtet, Iqeru and Jagw. By "encircling" (i.e. interring) the deceased king, Aker sealed the deceased away from the poisonous breath of the snake demons. Another earth deity, who joined and promoted Aker's work, was Geb. Thus, Aker was connected with Geb. In other spells and prayers, Aker is connected with Seth and even determined with the Set animal. This is interesting, because Seth is described as a wind deity, not as an earth deity.[6][2]
In the famous Coffin Texts of Middle Kingdom period, Aker replaces the god Kherty, becoming now the "ferryman of Ra in his nocturnal barque ". Aker protects the sun god during his nocturnal travelling through the underworld caverns.[2] In the famous Book of the Dead, Aker also "gives birth" to the god Khepri, the young, rising sun in the shape of a scarab beetle, after Aker has carried Khepri's sarcophagus safely through the underworld caverns. In other underworld scenes, Aker carries the nocturnal barque of Ra. During his journey, in which Aker is asked to hide the body of the dead Osiris beneath his womb, Aker is protected by the god Geb.[4]
In several inscriptions, wall paintings and reliefs, Aker was connected to the horizon of the North and the West, forming a mythological bridge between the two horizons with his body. Certain sarcophagus texts from the tombs of Ramesses IV, Djedkhonsuiusankh and Pediamenopet describe how the sun god Ra travels through the underworld "like Apophis going through the belly of Aker after Apophis was cut by Seth". In this case, Aker seems to be some kind of representation of the underworld itself.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The Mountains and Horizon of Ancient Egypt". www.touregypt.net. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
- ^ a b c d e Christian Leitz: Lexikon der ägyptischen Götter und Götterbezeichnungen (LGG) (= Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, vol. 6). Peeters Publishers, Leuven 2002, ISBN 9042911514, pp. 83 - 85.
- ^ Pat Remler: Egyptian Mythology, A to Z. Infobase Publishing, 2010, ISBN 1438131801, pp. 4 & 5.
- ^ a b Friedrich Abitz: Pharao als Gott in den Unterweltsbüchern des Neuen Reiches (= Orbis biblicus et orientalis, vol. 146). Saint-Paul, 1995, ISBN 3525537816, pp. 119, 158 & 159.
- ^ Peter Kaplony: Die Inschriften der ägyptischen Frühzeit, 3rd edition. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1963, pp. 65.
- ^ Georg Meurer: Die Feinde des Königs in den Pyramidentexten (= Orbis biblicus et orientalis, vol. 189). Saint-Paul, 2002, ISBN 3525530463, pp. 295, 296 & 311.
- ^ Geraldine Pinch: Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press, Oxford (UK) 2004, ISBN 0195170245, page 99.