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.