Editing Duat (section)

==== Journey of the Sun ====
[[File:Book of Gates Barque of Ra cropped.jpg|thumb|220x220px|''Af'' or ''Afu'' (commonly known as ''Afu-Ra''), the ram-headed form of Ra when traveling the ''Duat'' on the subterrestrial [[Nile]] (the 12 hours of night and the underworld) on the ''Mesektet'' barque along with [[Sia (god)|Sia]] (left and front of barque) and [[Heka (god)|Heka]] (right and behind of barque), surrounded by the protective coiled serpent deity [[Mehen]]]]Each night Ra travelled through the ''Duat'', bringing revivification to the dead as their main benefit. When in the underworld he was in his [[Ovis longipes palaeoaegyptiacus|ram]]-headed form Af. Ra travelled under the world upon his [[Atet]] barge from west to east; on the course of the underground journey, he was transformed from his aged [[Atum]] form into his young [[Khepri]] form – the new dawning sun. The role of the dead king, worshiped as a god, was also central to the mythology surrounding the concept of Duat, often depicted as being identical with Ra.<ref name="Weigal-2005-05-27-Guide" />

Along with the sun god the dead king travelled through the Duat, the Kingdom of Osiris, using the special knowledge he was supposed to possess, which was recorded in the [[Coffin Texts]], that served as a guide to the hereafter not just for the king but for all deceased. According to the ''[[Amduat]]'', the underworld consists of twelve regions signifying the twelve hours of the sun god's journey through it, battling [[Apep]] in order to bring order back to the earth in the morning; as his rays illuminated the Duat during the journey, they revived the dead who occupied the underworld and let them enjoy life after death during that hour of the night when they were in the presence of the sun god, after which they resumed their sleep, waiting for the god's return the following night.<ref name="Taylor-2001-DthAftrlf" />