Recent discoveries of Proto-Canaanite spells, the earliest Semitic texts in existence, were found amongst the oldest written Egyptian religious texts. The texts were located in the Saqqara pyramid of King Unas of the Old Kingdom. Amidst the ancient Saqqara pyramids, and south of King Djoser’s step pyramid complex (Third Dynasty), lie ruins of King Unas’ small pyramid. Sakkara which is close in proximity to Cairo, is the burial site for at least 16 Kings of the Old Kingdom of Egypt who had their capitol in Memphis.
King Unas’ pyramid was poetically named “Beautiful are the Places of Unas.” His pyramid is now in rubble in a mound of dirt, unlike the royal funerary memorial that it once was and important evidence that it presents. In 1881, Gaston Maspero discovered the underground vaults of historical text in the Pyramid of Unas. He also found parts of what may have been the mummy of Unas.
King Unas, also known as Wenis, was the last king of the Fifth dynasty of the Old Kingdom, who ruled between 2375 and 2345 B.C.E. (The Digital Egypt website at the University College of London gives the alternate dates of Unas as 2450-2300 B.C.E.) Not much is recorded about his reign, but Manetho believed that he probably did not have any sons. It is also possible that his successor, Teti, the first king of the Sixth dynasty, was married to a daughter of Unas, known as Iput. Unas was also known as "Unas, the Slayer and Eater of Gods."
The Oldest Pyramid Texts
The pyramid of King Unas is remarkable as it holds the oldest written religious texts in existence, known as the Pyramid Texts. These texts were copied in later Sixth dynasty royal pyramids, but the Pyramid Texts of Unas contained spells and verses not seen in later Sixth dynasty copies.
The Pyramid Texts give direction to aid Unas (and other deceased pharaohs) in overcoming obstacles in the Underworld in order to return to the Father, the Sun God Re-Atum. Upon reaching Re, they will travel together forever in the sky in a solar boat. At the end of verse 217 in Section III of the Burial Chamber, the Pyramid Texts read:
“O Re-Atum, your son has come to You, King Unas has come to You. Raise him up to You, enclose him in your arms, for he is the son of your body forever!”
Ancient Semitic Texts also Found
It is also believed that among the Pyramid Texts in the Unas Pyramid are inscriptions of an ancient Semitic dialect written alongside the Egyptian script, making it the earliest written version of a Semitic language. The passages show that the ancient Egyptians turned to the Canaanites from Byblos, Lebanon to assist them in creating spells and magic. While the Egyptians had their own magic, they also had much respect for the power of the spells of the Canaanites.
The spells, known as the “Semitic Snake Spells,” were to help ward off snakes and keep them from harming the mummified remains of the pharaoh. Recent research by Richard Steiner of New York’s Yeshiva University has found the script to be Proto-Canaanite from which biblical Hebrew later emerged. The Egyptians called on the Canaanite priests because they thought that some of the dreaded snakes could speak Canaanite and would obey the Canaanite magic.
The Semitic text aids in the understanding of the development of Phoenician and biblical Hebrew. Many of the words found in the spells appear in the Bible. Many of the characteristics of biblical Hebrew are already seen in these very early Proto-Semitic texts.
Unas was worshipped locally for years after his death. The Pyramid Texts reveal the iimportance of Osiris who had been a local deity but during during the time of Unas his worship became more widespread. There is still much to be learned from the ancient texts written on the walls of the underground tomb of the little known King Unas of ancient Egypt.
Sources:
Malek, Jaromir "The Old Kingdom (c.2160-2055 BC)" The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt Oxford University Press (2000
Milstein, Mati “Ancient Semitic Snake Spells Deciphered in Egyptian Pyramid,” National Geographic News (Feb 5 2007) Accessed Feb 14 2010
Oakes, Lorna and Lucia Gahlin Ancient Egypt: An Illustrated reference to the myths, religions, pyramids and temples of the Land of the Pharaohs Hermes House (2002)
Pyramid Texts of Unas Accessed Feb 14 2010
"Unas," Digital Egypt digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/chronology/kingunas.html Accessed Feb 14 2010
Paula I. Nielson - Paula I. Nielson, Ph.D., holds credentials and interests in anthropology, archaeology, religion, the Middle East and Asia.
