Facsimile No. 3 of the Book of Abraham: Quentin Barney’s 2019 Master’s Thesis Examined

[hauslern]

Tamis on the black figure.
"I just read pp. 84-86 from the thesis of Quinten Zehn Barney about the black bodied figure. I must tell you that he is a 100% follower of Mormon teachings, his argumentation is terrible.
Of course in the Egyptian art black bodied figures frequently appear, but on Book of Breathing document in the psychopompos scene (the deceased is introduced to Osiris by Anubis) which developed from the scene of weighing the heart of the deceased in the hall of the Two Truth, it is Anubis or goddess Maat who accompanies the deceased to in front of Osiris. Here only one black bodied figure used to appear and as analogies show, it is Anubis and even the badly copied text confirms this.

(Mr. Barney was cautious and did not say directy that in his opinion the black bodied figure may rather be a (Nubian, black) slave as Joseph Smith saw and interpreted it) and now we return to the question about the role of Smith (fraud or a sincere attempt). Look, it is difficult to judge whether the head of Anubis was damaged when Smith purchased the papyrus or it was Smith himself who modified it (cut or broke? the jackal head) and transformed it into a "black human slave" in his interpretation.

I am still on the opinion that Hor's Book of Breathing document belongs to one of the earliest of this type, so it shows many common features with the earlier Book of Dead vignettes. Anubis surely had not any type of crown on his head, it is a later introduction to show Anubis with the Lower and Upper Egyptian crown on his head, that is why late Books of Breathing documents are not perfect analogies. "

[Shulem]

Tamis on the black figure.

Look, it is difficult to judge whether the head of Anubis was damaged when Smith purchased the papyrus or it was Smith himself who modified it (cut or broke? the jackal head) and transformed it into a "black human slave" in his interpretation.

There is nothing to indicate that this vignette was damaged to the point that the faces and bodies of the persons in the scene were not totally legible when Smith gave his interpretations. The The faces and the writing above seem all intact.

I've heard one apologist say that their could have been a hole in the papyrus right there in front of Anubis's face and that's why it appears that way in the publication. But the printing plate shows there was obvious tampering. The jackal eye is that of a jackal. The ear atop the head is a jackal ear. He has BLACK FUR! It's Anubis.

[hauslern]

Interesting footnote "38 Yet, even if the hieroglyphic captions above Figure 2 were to have originally read “Isis the great, the god’s mother,” such a reading would not necessarily conflict with the interpretation given in the Times and Seasons that Figure 2 represents “King Pharaoh,” as one of the epithets associated with the goddess is “the Pharaoh of the whole land.” John Gee, “Isis as Pharaoh,” (forthcoming). Copy in possession of the author"

Anyone seen Gee's paper? Some Egyptologist this is like saying "king king"

[Philo Sofee]

Interesting footnote "38 Yet, even if the hieroglyphic captions above Figure 2 were to have originally read “Isis the great, the god’s mother,” such a reading would not necessarily conflict with the interpretation given in the Times and Seasons that Figure 2 represents “King Pharaoh,” as one of the epithets associated with the goddess is “the Pharaoh of the whole land.” John Gee, “Isis as Pharaoh,” (forthcoming). Copy in possession of the author"

Anyone seen Gee's paper? Some Egyptologist this is like saying "king king"

Yes, I commented on it, and so has Ritner in his book. Isis was never a mortal male king. It's honest to goodness just that simple, until further evidence shows up. And we have an Egyptologist we can run new evidence by....hee, hee.....I hope you are thanking him and telling him we are all reading him like crazy, and appreciate him and his efforts!

[hauslern]

I told him this message board was inhabited by former LDS and more liberal LDS. What I notice in his responses he is always civil to in his comments about those he disagrees with. Which is a good thing. Even Snoopy agrees.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cdO ... 5URF0/edit

[Shulem]

Isis was never a mortal male king.

That is a FACT that is manifest not just on paper (papyrus) but in stone, literally.

Isis is and was and always will be a woman, the MOTHER of Horus.

Amen.

[hauslern]

Not sure if I have shared this - Tamis explains the condition of creating a hypocephalus.

"I am on the opinion that probably priests inscribed hypocephali or craftsmen who were aware of scribing. It cannot be known. The answer to your second question is yes. It certainly depended on the economic status of the deceased and his/her family.
From where can we know this? There survived prefabricated hypocephali, where a space was left blank for the name of the deceased, thus when someone purchased a disc, the scribe (priest of craftsmen) inscribed the name of the deceased onto the place left for this purpose.
While we know these ready-made pieces, there are also individualistic creations without exact analogy. So in my opinion it really depended on the social status of the family what type they purchased or made by themself.
This fact may be even measured by the richness of the funerary ensemble. The article that we recently finished illustrates it perfectly. In an ideal case rich people were interred in two coffins (inner and outer one), while others could afford just one coffin, while still other ones were satisfied by a simple cartonnage-coffin (~papier-mache) or could afford just a simple embalming, enrolled in bandages and the mummy located in collective burial chamber.

The family we dealt with in the article belonged to the high priests of Thebes in the 30th dynasty just before and under the rule of Alexander the Great. They could afford double coffins, stelae, Ptah-Sokar-Osiris statues, offering tables, offering vases in bronze, small servant figures, called ushebtis, Book of the Dead papyri, Ritual books, etc."

[Shulem]

Bumping for Philo. Calling Philo, calling Philo, come in Philo.

I've still not read Quentin Barney's paper.

Do I need to read it? Is it a must read? I just can't seem to do it.

[ ] Yes
[ ] No

Here is a thread I did a year ago with regard to the paper. He seems like a nice looking guy.

The Neglected Facsimile: An Examination and Comparative Study of Facsimile No. 3 of the Book of Abraham, Quinten Barney

[Philo Sofee]

Well, truth be told, any Egyptological paper by any Mormon is actually not worth much attention at all anymore, so no, I wouldn't lose sleep over not having read it. Hauslern has a spectacular friendship or at least acquaintance with an Egyptologist who is knowledgeable in these areas which is so helpful! THANKS Hauslern!

[Philo Sofee]

The hope we have with all this is an actual Egyptologist who knows what he is doing with the hypocephalus within the actual Egyptological context. This is very good!