Identification
| Title | Sarcophagus of a bull |
| Type | Astronomical Representation |
| Decan List Family | AR1 |
| EAT3 Number and Name | 37 Abu Yasin |
| EAT3 Pages and Plates | 41-42, Pls 20, 21 |
| EAT3 Decan List Family | Senmut |
| Publications | Abdel Salam (1938) |
| Location | JE 86723 in the grounds of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo |
| Date | 30th dynasty, time of Nectanebo II |
Content
| Registers | 4 |
| Circumpolar Group and Deities | Yes: 9 figures behind hippo; 7 (plus one smaller, unlabelled figure) opposite |
| Planets |
Superior: Jupiter, Saturn (Mars is omitted) Inferior: Mercury, Venus |
| Decan Names | Yes |
| Decanal Stars | Yes |
| Personifications of the Decans | No |
| Cluster Numbers | Yes |
| Depictions of Decanal Constellations | Yes |
| Decanal Deity Names | Yes |
| Decanal Deity Figures | No |
| Lunar Months | No |
| Civil Months | Yes |
| Nut | No |
| Other features | A table of orientations of "The Foreleg" constellation throughout the civil year. Each month is associated with three orientations, one for the beginning of the night, one for the middle, and one for the end. |
Notes
This sarcophagus lid has a unique arrangement in four registers. It is the only astronomical representation to include a table of Foreleg orientations.
Schematic
| Legend for Schematic | |
|---|---|
| C | Circumpolar group of constellations |
| A | Circumpolar attendant deities |
| D | Decans |
| P | Planets |
| M |
Orientations of The Foreleg by Civil Month (lower, "northern" half) Civil month labels interspersed with decans (upper, "southern" half) |
|
Damaged area |
|
 |
Location and orientation of the circumpolar hippo |
 |
Indicates the starting point and directionality of list or procession of figures |
Decan List
The list gives an approximate layout for how the decans, deities, cluster labels (in transliteration), civil month labels, and decanal figures (in bold) are arranged. However, the only way of perceiving the complete layout and orthography of the labels is by consulting the original, or photographs and drawings.
The layout of the decan list over two registers interspersed with the civil month labels is unique. An attempt has been made below to demonstrate the layout.
| Day 10[+?] | 30 xAw [ ] | [ ] -nwt [ ] | IP2 DA baH | Osiris | ||
| III Shemu | 28 qd, 29 sAwy qd | Hapy, Kebehsenuf | ||||
| II Shemu 10[+?] |
27 <xntw> Xrw 26 xntw Hr<w> |
Children of Horus | IP1 sbg | Seth | ||
| Day 28 | 25 bAw<y> | Hapy, Imseti | F nTr wAS | Duamutef | ||
| I Shemu 5 | 24 Axw<y> |
Kebehsenuf, Duamutef |
E abSs | Horus | D hpds | |
| [ ] 20 | 23 tpy-a Ax<wy> | Duamutef | C sSpt | Eye of Horus | ||
| 22 {nb}<Xry> xpd srt | Kebehsenuf | B nsrw | [Im]s[eti], Xt -pw | |||
| IV Peret 6 | 21 sAwy si[t] | Duamutef | A Stw<y>, Turtle, A Stw<y>, Turtle | |||
| III Peret 10[+?] | 20 s[it] | Isis, 3-nwt Xt | SP2 Hr-kA-pt rn=f DA pt iAbty | Planet | ||
| III Peret 4[+?] | 19 smd | Hapy, Sheep | ||||
| II Peret 5 | 18 tpy-a smd | Horus | ||||
| Day 20[+?] |
Children of Horus 17 knmw |
Boat | ||||
| [ ] Day 10 | 16 sSmw | SP1 Hr-tAS-tAwy rn=f rsy pt sbA | Planet | |||
| 15 Hry-ib wiA | ||||||
| I Peret | ||||||
| 14 sApti xnwy, Isis | Sopdet | |||||
| 13 Tms n xntt, Horus | ||||||
| 12 <xntt> Xrt, ?Seth | ||||||
| IV Akhet 14 | 36 spdt | Isis | ||||
| Day 13 [ ] | 32 Hry rmn sAH | Children of Horus | Sahu | |||
| III Akhet Day 1 |
7 TmAt Xrt 6 TmAt Hrt |
Duamutef | 31 art | Eye of Horus | ||
| II Akhet Day 11 |
Children of Horus Duamutef |
|||||
| 2 knmt, Isis | IV Shemu 5 | |||||
| I Akhet | 1 <tpy-a> knmt | Hapy, Imseti | 33 Xry rmn sAH | Children of Horus | ||
The decan numbers and letters shown here are for the decan family AR1.
SP = superior planet
IP = inferior planet
Grey shading = damage
< > = omitted but understood
{ } = included in error
[ ] = 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.