Egyptian Dreams

davep · Citizen Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 2

I'm reading this book "Thou Dust" ISBN 0973425202, and part of it discusses the god Osiris and an interpretation of the djed. The author shows the djed is a symbol of the dna molecule, but to do this he tells us that the lower section of the djed is partitioned into 7 sections, which he says is the correct way to represent the djed. I'm wondering where this idea came from. I've looked around at various pictures of the djed and find they vary alot. It is true that some djed drawings show 7 sections in the lower part, but the vast majority don't even have sections in the lower trunk of this pillar. Perhaps someone can direct me to some source that discusses this djed better. In the book I'm refering to http://www.timefoot.com/isbn/0973425202/dust2.html the author doesn't tell us where the idea came from, but perhaps someone here knows?

davep

Jan · Moderator Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Posts: 170 Location: UK

Hi Davep - welcome to the board. Smile

I've never read the book you mentioned but I did some research for my Egyptian symbols page:

www.ancientnile.co.uk/symbols.html

Kevin · Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2003 7:47 pm Post subject:

busy, busy, busy... Crying or Very sad

Welcome to the board davep Smile

_________________
"Man fears Time - but Time fears the pyramids" - Old Egyptian saying

almostascribe · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2003 2:31 am Post subject:

according to the 'A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian' by R O. Faulkner. the word djed means stable and enduring.

davep · Citizen Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 2

Thanks guys, I didn't know about djed in the Osiris Hall at Abydos. Does anyone know why the djed represents 'stability'? The author gives a perfect explanation of why in the text but this depends on his interpretation of the djed as dna. Are there any other sources that present alternative views on how the djed came to represent the idea of being stable and permanent?

davep

Hatshepsu · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 4:59 am Post subject:

i have no idea about any of this.. but i wanted to say welcome to the board Very Happy

.. hello!

x0x0
Serena Wink

Djehtinefer · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 3:17 pm Post subject:

The Djed Pillar is associated with Ptah, Sokar and Osiris, and is a hieroglyphic sign translated as meaning stability. As for the sections in the lower half of the djed pillar, this as far as I can remember is from architectural feature of columns and pillars. At the transition of the capital to the shaft, five bands might be found representing the lashing which held together the bundle of stems of which the earliest columns were made.

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/djedpillar.htm
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Em Maat Djehutinefer

dzama923 · Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 4:58 am Post subject:

That is interesting. It is open to everyone's interpretation what these things mean. Though popular opinion is usually correct. I would say the DNA theory is far fetched, and I would like to know where they go their sources for that. Most of these ascertations come from writings at the time. I don't know how much writing on papyri were collected, but it must have been a lot. What the Egyptian's thought about DNA would be interesting.

Lutz · Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:53 am Post subject:

dzama923 · Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2017 5:14 pm Post subject:

The idea of the Egyptians knowing microbiology, and biochemistry, was to me an amusing idea.

dzama923 · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 3:00 pm Post subject:

There is some writing in Ancient Egypt that speaks of the ceremonies of the raising of Djed. This to me seems to be describing the rising of obelisks. Though, I have not found anywhere that equates a Djed pillar to an obelisk. It seems to be talking more about a pillar, like in the construction of temples.