Teeth in Ancient Egyptian Religious Texts

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Lecturer, Fayoum University, Faculty of Archeology

Abstract

The mouth is one of the most important body members, as it receives food, drinks, speech and sense. The opening of the mouth rite was one of the most important and most significant rites known to the Ancient Egyptians.
Teeth were among the most important parts mouth having great significance to the Ancient Egyptian. Many words have expressed these ideas and have taken the elephant tusk as a determinative.
The Ancient Egyptian used the animal tusks such as those of the elephant, hippopotamus in different industries such as amulets, make up and primitive drugs.
The religious symbolism of teeth varied from pyramid texts to coffin texts and books of the dead. The mouth of the deceased was provided with teeth of Horus with onion offerings. His sharp teeth were described as the teeth of the immortal god “Soped”. In addition, the teeth of the deceased king were the souls of “ba” and they were obtained from the viper hill “Dw.ft
In CT, the deceased was given strong sharp teeth made of flint stone made of the material of stars. His sharp teeth enabled him to be embodied and appearance as the god “Sobek”.
In the Book of the Dead, the deceased declared his ownership of sharp teethlike the god “srqt"and canines like the holy goddess Isis. The glitter in his teeth and its beauty is due to his being a member of Fayoum city.

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