Identification
Title Temple of Rameses II at Abydos
Type Astronomical Representation
Decan List Family AR2
EAT3 Number and Name 11 Ramses II D
EAT3 Pages and Plates 21, Pl 7
EAT3 Decan List Family Seti I C
Publications Marriette (1880)
Location Five ceiling blocks from the Second Octostyle Hall of Rameses II's Abydos temple, now lost
Date 19th dynasty
Content
Registers 2, perhaps 3
Circumpolar Group and Deities Part of the circumpolar group remained on one block.  No attendant deities in name or figure were preserved.
Planets None preserved
Decan Names Yes
Decanal Stars Yes
Personifications of the Decans Yes, as identical humans
Cluster Numbers Yes
Depictions of Decanal Constellations A small sheep is preserved
Decanal Deity Names Yes
Decanal Deity Figures Possibly, as identical humans (see below)
Lunar Months None preserved
Civil Months None preserved
Nut Not preserved
Notes

The design was carved on a flat ceiling.  Four of the blocks preserved parts of the southern register, and one the northern.

The pattern of the ceiling is very similar to that used earlier in the Abydos Temple of Sety I.  The layout of these two representations differs from all others because of the inclusion of identical human figures representing the decans.  Each decan name is accompanied by two human figures.  Unlike the Sety I version, both the figures in the two rows are not distinguished by differences in attire and both sets have stars on their heads. The upper figure is postioned in such a way that it could represent the decanal deity, but there is only one per decan even when there are two deities named, and the invariance of the depiction suggests otherwise.

Schematic

 The layout was probably identical to the astronomical representation in the Temple of Sety I at Abydos, except entirely reversed.

Decan List

The list gives an approximate layout for how the decans, deities, and decanal figures (in bold) are arranged.  The list reads backwards compared with the flow of the "procession" of deity figures.  For conventions and abbreviations, see below the table.

Neugebauer and Parker place the list in the Seti I C family but there are discrepancies, for example the use of Seth as a deity for 16 sSmw.

The list contains entries for eleven columns which were preserved or partially preserved on three blocks.  A further five columns, consisting only of a partial deity name, a cluster label, the two rows of figures, and dedicatory inscriptions appear on a further block.  Neugebauer and Parker (p. 131) note that the original distance between this last block and the others may be such that Seth is the deity of 31 xAw, with Seth being a substitution for Horus.   In this same comment they assert that Seth is also substituted for Horus as the deity of 12 xntt Xrt, but this is not shown in the drawing.  In any case, as they note on p. 21, the gap between the two list fragments must contain an odd number of decans.

12 [xntt Xr]t  
13 Tms n xntt Horus

14 sApti xnwy

Isis, Nephthys
15 Hry-ib wiA Seth
16 sSmw Seth
17 knmw Children of Horus
18 tpy-a smd Horus
19 smd  
20 srt Sheep
21 sAwy srt  
22 Xry xpd srt  
   
   Set[h], ?-nwt Xt
   
   
   
 

The decan numbers and letters shown here are for the decan family AR2

SP = superior planet

IP = inferior planet

Grey shading = damage

[ ] = damaged text

( ) = explanatory notes or additional material

The number of star symbols accompanying the decans is also omitted here, as it is often impossible to tell to which decan the symbols refer.  EAT3 deals with star symbols in some detail.