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Ancient Egyptian - Djew
Identifier
006652
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
The description isn't terribly clear, but the pictures are OK and I hope the principles of the symbolism are evident. I don't think it was the Necropolis I think it was the Labyrinth, but I may be wrong.
A description of the experience
Internet description
Djew was an Egyptian mythical mountain, whose cartouche is shown below. The symbolism is interesting as instead of one single peak, two peaks are shown.
There are literal suggestions that the representation shows two mountains with the Nile in between, but the Egyptians believed that there was a cosmic mountain range that held up the heavens. This mountain range had two peaks, the western peak was called Manu, while the eastern peak was called Bakhu. It was on these peaks that heaven rested. Each peak of this mountain chain was guarded by a lion deity, whose job it was to protect the sun as it rose and set. The symbolism is thus extremely closely aligned to the symbolism of the sun and the moon and the two aspects of the Creator.
The connection of the mountain symbol with the solar cycle is seen in the closely related akhet sign, which shows the sun rising above the mountain horizon.
The mountain was also a symbol of the tomb and the afterlife. In some texts we find Anubis, the guardian of the tomb being referred to as "He who is upon his mountain." Sometimes we find Hathor taking on the attributes of a deity of the afterlife, at this time she is called "Mistress of the Necropolis." She is rendered as the head of a cow protruding from a mountainside.