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The
Prophet Joseph Smith filled in the lacunae (missing portions) of the Shishaq
(Sheshonq)
Hypocephalus with characters copied from the first lines of the
Hor Book of Breathings, small Sensen
papyrus. In other words, Joseph inserted characters, copied from a
separate Egyptian funerary work, into missing portions of a
Book of the Dead talismanic disc; drawn on what Joseph described as “the Large cut” of papyrus
(now missing). Many of the same characters
had been transcribed years before into the margins of
Book of Abraham manuscripts. It’s as if the Egyptian characters were intended to
correspond to particular paragraphs of the English
Book of Abraham narrative.
On the
upper right-hand rim of the Joseph Smith Hypocephalus
(made whole under the Prophet’s direction),
you will see a sampling of symbols that I
believe were intended to represent characters
from line 1 of the
Small Sensen papyrus - Hor Book of
Breathings:
On the upper right hand rim of Facsimile 2 - see characters from line 1 of the
Hor Book of Breathings
Facsimile 2 - highlighted characters copied from the Sensen papyrus, Hor Book of Breathings
The Sensen
papyrus is written in hieratic, a kind of Egyptian shorthand. Here is
how the sample of characters from line 1 appear in the Sensen
text, Hor Book of Breathings (next):
On the
rim of the hypocephalus, these
first characters are placed next to characters copied from line 2 of the
same funerary text. The set of characters copied from line 2 appear as
follows on the rim:
Here is
how the line 2 sample appears in the Hor Book of Breathings (next):
The
copied line 1, and line 2 samples are made to appear very similar to each
other on the rim (Facsimile 2). In fact, Brother Reuben Hedlock, who carved the wood block for making the
plate for printing the hypocephalus
(for the Times and Season newspaper), could
have easily confused elements of the two sets of characters. Brother Hedlock made it almost appear as if the same set of
characters were repeated twice – redundantly! But look more closely, and you
may convince yourself that the two samples are not the same. Brother Hedlock, with his carving tools, did a commendable job imitating Egyptian characters
that he did not understand.
The
characters grafted into the damaged hypocephalus, are
deliberately inverted with respect to the original hieroglyphic text. It’s as
if the Prophet Joseph wanted to further distinguish, or set apart the
copied hieratic from the original hieroglyphic text.
The characters are not there just for show! If they were for artistic
display only, Brother Hedlock
could have more conveniently copied neighboring hieroglyphs at random, from the hypocephalus,
to fill in the lacunae.
So,
does the imitation hieratic, inserted into Facsimile 2, tell a different story from the hieroglyphic
part? Indeed it does; but the details are best kept hid from audiences whose
sensibilities would be offended at some of the things the
Ah meh strah ans
(Joseph Smith’s esoteric Egyptians) saw in the symbols.
What follows is a proposed Ah-meh-strah-an reinterpretation of the
groups of “hieratic” characters inserted in place of the lacunae, on
the right-hand rim of Facsimile 2.
Bordered in olive
in the following presentations,
are the copied hieratic characters seen in the margins of at least one 1835 manuscript
of the Book of Abraham (W. W. Phelps and Warren Parrish scribes). These characters have been numbered in the
order in which they appear in the manuscript. To
the right of the copied characters is the actual hieratic
(bordered in silver) as it appears in the
Book of Breathings,
or Sensen papyrus. Just below these images is the
hieroglyphic equivalent of the hieratic characters – a service provided by
Professor Hugh Nibley. (The Message
of the Joseph Smith Papyri an Egyptian Endowment, Second Edition, pp.
34-35)
From Hor Book of Breathings line
1:
(12)
Below are more examples, from other Book of Abraham
manuscripts, showing how this character sample was perceived by some early brethren
of the Church:
Below is the copied sample of characters (conflated with the similar looking
set from line 2) as seen in the upper right hand
rim of the redacted hypocephalus - the work of R. Hedlock (tasked by J.
Smith Jr.):
Proceeding from right to left (the same direction Hebrew is read), a
proposed Ah--meh-strah-an reinterpretation of the characters follows:
The Eternal
(יה)
living
(חי)
Lord ,
rescued his
quail chick (Avram) from the bird of prey
(khonsu,
the bloodthirsty moon god, alternately Horus god of Par’oh)
Though the story is certainly different from what was originally on the hypocephalus, the theme of rescue
is much the same. Consider Sederholm’s proposed prayer of rescue (restored hieroglyphic text, Figures 12 through 15 - right panels;
discussed in Recovering the Missing Hieroglyphs on the Right Panels of LDS Book of Abraham Facsimile 2).
What is more, the prayer that was originally on the rim (the hieroglyphic text that the
above, and following “hieratic”
symbols replace) also resonates with the theme of rescue. The lost
hieroglyphic text likely read: “May the Osiris Shishaq [Sheshonq] be granted life.”
(Rhodes,
“The Joseph Smith Hypocephalus ... Twenty Years Later”,
pp. 3-5) The restored hieroglyphic text is of course pagan, whereas the interpretation of the “hieratic”
symbols inclines curiously to the Hebraic.
It makes sense that the Prophet
would begin to fill in the lacunae with a character sample corresponding to
a place
near the beginning of the Abram narrative;
in this case, a sample of
characters from line 1 of the Sensen papyrus. Unfortunately Brother Hedlock
didn’t distinguish very well between character sample (12) from
line 1, and sample (19) from line 2. They looked a lot alike to him.
Character sample (12) is proximal to
Abraham 1:16-19.
For further explanation of the proposed Ah-meh-strah-an reinterpretation, see sample
(12)
in Esoteric Egyptian.
From Hor Book of Breathings line
2:
(19)
Below are more examples, from other Book of Abraham
manuscripts, showing
how this character sample was perceived by some early church brethren:
What follows is the copied sample of characters appearing in the upper right hand
edge of the redacted hypocephalus:
Is it just a coincidence that the copied hieratic characters from Sensen line
2, happen to be one of the discrete sets of characters appearing in the margins of 1835
Book of Abraham manuscripts?
It seems more likely that the groups of characters are intended to
correlate in some way with the Abram narrative.
If so, these characters are certainly not to be read as standard hieratic. We
could be dealing with a transtextual reinterpretation of hieratic characters - a type
of “translation” known to an esoteric Egyptian order; whose members recognized the Hebrew God.
(Yesha’Yahu (Is.) 19:21)
The Hor Book of Breathings is not the source of the much older
Book of Abram. Nevertheless, elements from pagan funerary texts, like the
Book of Breathings, can be converted so that they correlate with
the revealed Sepher Avram (originally written on papyrus by Abram himself). This
conversion is what the Ah-meh-strah-ans were all about.
Note the difficult to discern
“father”
bread bun , and
“son” or “child”
egg 
symbols seen at the end of hieratic sample (19)
 - on the left. As a hieroglyph, the bread bun
resembles a “hill”  .
A Hebrew word for “mount” or “hill” is “har”. The egg resembles a gibbous moon.
Is it too much
to suggest that the Hebrew word for “egg”, “betsah”
sounds somewhat like the Hebrew word for “home” or “house” - “baytah” or “bet”? (Bereshit (Gen.) 19:10) These Ah-meh-strah-an symbols can be related to Haran
(mountaineer) son of
Terah
(the name possibly has to do with the
moon)
dwelling at Ur. But the symbols may just as appropriately be
associated with hieratic sample
(20):
(20) 
Sample (20) may be interpreted: Haran begat a
daughter
(“Milkah”, “queen”, “goddess”). It should also be noted that “father” in Hebrew is “av”. “Height”,
as in “hill”,
in Hebrew,
is “rum”. (Brown- Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew/Aramaic
Lexicon, 7312,
רוּם,
רֻם , pg.
927) Combine these Hebrew words and what do you get?
The Ah-meh-strah-ans
likely associated more than one potential meaning with a symbol, or set of
symbols.
A proposed Ah--meh-strah-an
reinterpretation
of sample (19) follows:
The Eternal
living God
  visited
Qanah (Kasdim, land
of reeds
 in judgment)
with the dust of his heel -
making bare Arah (Ur)
.
Haran son of Terah dwelt there.
Characters samples (19, 20) are proximal to
Abraham 2:1-2.
For further explanation of the proposed Ah-meh-strah-an reinterpretation, see samples
(19, 20)
in
Esoteric Egyptian.
From Hor Book of Breathings line
3:
(24) 
Below is the copied sample of characters appearing in the middle right hand
edge of the redacted hypocephalus:
A proposed Ah--meh-strah-an reinterpretation follows:
The
“arms”
of his “seed” will bear the “nes”
(the
“sign”, the
vertical “pole”
 ,
or “ensign”) of the
horned venomous serpent to the nations
(Bemidbar
(Num.) 21:6-9,
Yesha’Yahu (Is.) 5:26,
14:29)
– to all
“flesh”
that will rise up and call him
“father”
 –
they who will but
“face”
(Yesha’Yahu
(Is.) 51:2), and pledge by
“mouth” .
Its important to note that hieratic sample (24) does not commence line 3 of the Hor Book of
Breathings. There are other
hieratic characters appearing on line 3 before it. So, do you think it is just
coincidence that the line 3
samples, copied into the rim of the hypocephalus, begin and end
with discrete hieratic samples associated with specific paragraphs of
1835 Book of Abraham
manuscripts? Line 3 samples (24-26) were transposed entire, into the rim of the
hypocephalus. Character sample (24) is proximal to
Abraham 2:9-10.
For further explanation of the proposed Ah-meh-strah-an reinterpretation, see sample 24
in
Esoteric Egyptian.
From Hor Book of Breathings line
3:
(25) 
Below is the copied sample of characters appearing in the middle right hand
edge of the redacted hypocephalus:
A proposed Ah--meh-strah-an reinterpretation follows:
After he
(Avram)
sought with all his
“heart” he who appeared
“before har’El”
(“mount of God”, “altar of God”;
see
YehezqEl
(Ezek.)
43:15-16;
wordplay with “lion
of God”; see Yesha’Yahu
(Is.)
29:1,
Divre Hayamim (1
Chr.) 11:22), he took
up
“nes”(stave,
pole lookalike) and departed Haran
(pastoral highland, symbolized
by the bread bun
that resembles a “har”,
or hill
. Note: Hebrew Haran is distinct from the Akkadian
Haran
spelled with a “het”
ח).
Character sample (25) is proximal to
Abraham 2:12-14.
For further explanation of the proposed Ah-meh-strah-an reinterpretation, see sample 25
in
Esoteric Egyptian
From Hor Book of Breathings line
3:
(26) 
Below is Brother Hedlock’s carved simulation of the sample of characters
(26) appearing in the middle to lower right hand
edge of the redacted hypocephalus:
A proposed Ah--meh-strah-an reinterpretation follows:
The “flesh” (“limb” or “neck”,
Bereshit (Gen.) 2:24)
of “father”(Avram),
and his sister/spouse (represented by the goddess whose name begins with “as”);
were joined in “Qanah” (land of
“reeds”, a.k.a. land of the Kasdim,
with
possible wordplay with “qin’ah” (קִנְאָה)
= “ardent love”.
There is also here a possible play on words between “arah”
(עָרָה)
meaning
“reed, make naked, lay bare”
(Yesha’Yahu
(Is.) 19:7)
and “orah = moonlight”, “Ur” . The sound of “arah”, of course, occurs in “Sarah”.)
The “flesh”, “limb”, “neck” symbol has phonetic value “as”, as in “Asset”
(throne goddess Isis); analogues here to Sarah. “Asset” (Isis) is married
to her brother “Asir” (Osiris). Similarly “Sarah” (Princess)
is married to
her brother “Avraham” (Father of multitudes).
(Bereshit (Gen.) 20:12)
Note the
venomous horned serpent, capable of coiling .
This Egyptian symbol for “father”,
is far from intrinsically evil. Note the reproductive symbolism. (Bemidbar
(Num.) 21:6-9)
The last symbols in sample (26) reiterate the theme
of rescue, and seem to correlate with
remaining parts of the previous section
Abraham 2:12-14: =
Avram.
 =
Egyptian “mulak”,
sounds like Hebrew “malak” = messenger,
“angel”; see sample (22).
 =
hillside (i.e. Har-Potiphera, “Potiphar’s Hill” by which the
idolatrous altar of Elqanah
stood; See Abraham 1:10;
20).
=
mouth (i.e. voice of
the Eternal). Thus:
Avram, was
delivered by the messenger at the hillside (by which the altar of Elqanah
stood). His prayer was heard, and he heard the the voice of
the Eternal .
Character sample (26) is proximal to
Abraham 2:15-16.
See sample (26)
in Esoteric Egyptian.
From Hor Book of Breathings line
4:
(27) 
Below is Brother Hedlock’s skillful, but ignorant rendition appearing in the lower right hand
edge of the redacted hypocephalus:
A proposed Ah--meh-strah-an reinterpretation follows:
“Qanah”
(land of
“reeds”),
“arah” (“reed”, “naked, bare land”),
“Ur”,
at
his “back”
 ,
they gathered all their substance,
“packing”
all their belongings,
“tying the records” , and taking
“Lot”
(לּוׂט
= wrap
closely,
tightly; like a scroll)
- so they departed. And Av-raham
(wordplay: אַב־רָחָם
= father
of compassion, affection,
“gier eagle” =
+  )
prayed that
“compassion”
(רָחָם,
Vayiqra
(Lev.) 11:18)
be shown his
father’s house,
that they might not perish for want of
“bread”
.
Character sample (27) is proximal to
Abraham 2:17-18.
See sample (27)
in Esoteric Egyptian.
We have come to the end of the imitation hieratic samples, appearing in the margins of 1835 Book of Abraham manuscripts.
The forgoing selections were all inserted on the right hand rim of Facsimile 2 (1842).
The possible Ahmehstrahan reinterpretation of the Egyptian samples
each represent a complete, self contained narrative segment, or story-bite.
These were inserted
in place of the missing hieroglyphs in an effort to “Abramize” the pagan hypocephalus.
That the Prophet would deliberately redact the hypocephalus, should come as no surprise. Insertions, or alterations in other
parts of Facsimile 2 likewise “Abramize” the pagan
hypocephalus. Take for example the little lotus and papyrus bouquet  inserted at the
foot of Figure 2. This symbol, taken from the Book of Breathings,
suggests to the Ah-meh-strah-an mind “Abraham in Egypt”, as does the
adjacent solar bark,
“avarat-ham”.
The sun-boat image was copied from a Book of the Dead vignette in Joseph Smith’s possession, and
inserted in place of the missing Figure 3. And so it is fitting that the Book of Breathings characters copied onto the rim, end with the last sample (27) seen in the margins of 1835
Book of Abraham manuscripts.
A coincidence?
In the transition between hieratic and hieroglyphic text
on the hypocephalus rim (lower right hand) there appears a character which
is not part of sample (27). This character is similar to a character that
the Ahmehstrahans reinterpreted to mean
“Baeth The name of all mankind, man, or men”
(Joseph Smith Egyptian Papers). The presence of this character may
be an attempt to fill in an unclear portion of the papyrus. The
remaining hieratic characters of line 4 are inserted upside-down with respect
to the adjacent hieroglyphs, in the right central panel.
From Hor Book of Breathings line 4
- inserted in hypocephalus right panel:
Figures 15, 14 and 13 (right panel of Facsimile 2)
continue with the rest of line 4; as seen on the Sensen
papyrus, Hor Book of Breathings.
In fact, Figure 14 actually contains the inserted term “sensen = breathings”.
The full Ahmehstrahan reinterpretation of these symbols “will be given in the own due time of the Lord.”
(Abraham Facsimile 2, Figures 12, 13, 14, 15 ...)
But note on the right, the
hieroglyph that appears identical to the “raised platform, or stone slab”
hieroglyph
 .
Could this symbol serve to represent another “altar” built, and
serviced
by Avram? If so, we may have here a continuation of
the correlation with the Book of
Abraham narrative.
(Abraham 2:19-20)
Of course any altar built by Avram would not have been made of hewn stone. (Shemot
(Ex.) 20:24-26)
Other symbols appearing in the transition between hieroglyphic and inserted
hieratic text may indicate an attempt to fill in unclear portions. The
origin of the highlighted characters in Figure 12, is not clear. But notice
how Brother Hedlock depicts the hieratic symbols for “arms” in sample (24).
Look how he depicts the horned serpent in samples (24) and (26). Could the
first inserted characters in Figure 12 (after the known hieroglyphs) be a
hieratic symbol for “arm, hand” adjoining the horned serpent symbol
for “father”:
=
 =
Now
look at how Brother Hedlock depicts the hieratic coil or quail chick
character in sample (26). This symbol, could represent the name
“Avram, Avraham”, as
pointed out by LDS scholar Ed Goble.
Finally, after another dot, we have what appears to be the
tied papyrus scroll
hieroglyph
(seen elsewhere on the hypocephalus).
Do the inserted characters in Figure 12 simply constitute a concluding note
- an Ahmehstrahan summary?
“The hand
of father
Avraham
wrote this upon papyrus”
.JPG)
Characters inserted upside-down next to recognized hieroglyphs in Figure 12 of Facsimile 2
Facsimile 2 - highlighted characters from the Sensen papyrus, corresponding
to characters copied in the margins of 1835 Book of Abraham
manuscripts
In Summary
The Proposed Meaning of the “Abramized” Rim
Sample 12:
“The Eternal
living Lord rescued his quail chick (Avram) from the
bird of prey (Khonsu/Horus).”
Sample 19:
“The Eternal
living God visited the land of reeds. His heel in the dust made bare Arah (Ur).
Haran son of Terah dwelt there.”
Sample 24: “His seed
will bear the ensign of the horned venomous serpent to
the nations - so that all flesh might call him father, they that face and
pledge by mouth.”
Sample 25:
“He sought with all his heart his God - even he who appeared
before har-El. He took up his stave and departed Haran.”
Sample 26: “He and his
sister/spouse were joined in Arah (Ur, place of the reed). He was delivered by the messenger at the hillside
(by which the altar of Elqanah stood). The prayer of his mouth was heard, and
he heard the voice (of
the Eternal).”
Sample 27:
“The bare land of reeds (Ur) behind him, they gathered all their substance, packing all their belongings, tying the records, and taking Lot - so they departed.
And Av-raham prayed that compassion would be
shown his fathers house, that they might not perish from want of bread.”
Back to
Abraham in Egypt and the Papyrus Solar
Ferry
Back to
Esoteric Egyptian in the Margins of the Book of Abraham
Back to
Joseph Smith’s
Book of the Dead Hypocephalus
Princess of On
See also
Ahmehstrahan
Counting and Gematria
Vincent Coon
וִינְסֶנט כּוּן
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