Encyclopedia of African Religion

Plutarch describes Ausar as a human king who
taught the craft of husbandry, established a code
of laws, and bade men to honor the ancestors.
During initiations, initiates would take on the
name of Ausar in addition to their own name (i.e.,
Ausar Ani) as a way to associate themselves with
the dead king. Mystery plays were used to honor
Ausar among the masses, although special rituals
were reserved for the priests in the temples.

Ceremonies and Festivals

Recognition of Ausar was constant, and it repre-
sented the way the Kemetic people responded to
the presence of the divine among them. Ausar was
written into the fabric of the society because of the
holy days reserved for him in the culture. Among
the celebrations were the following:

1st Epagomenal Day—Birthday of Ausar

25th Thuti—Ausarian Mysteries

13th Paopi—Day of Satisfying the Hearts of the

Ennead

16th Paopi—Feast of Ausar

19th Paopi—Ceremony of Raising the Djed Pillar

30th Paopi—Kemet in festival for Ra, Ausar, and

Heru

12th Hethara—Ausar goes forth to Abju

11th Koiak—Feast of Wasir in Abju

12th Koiak—Day of Transformation into the

Bennu Bird

13th Koiak—Day of Going Forth of Het-Hert and

the Ennead

14th Koiak—Coming forth of the Bennu transformed

12th Koiak—Raising the Djed Pillar

30th Koiak—The Ennead feast in the House of Ra,

Heru, and Wasir

18th Tybi—Going forth of the Netjeru of Abju

17th Mechir—Day of keeping the things of Ausar

in the hands of Anpu

6th Pamenot—Festival of Jubilation for Ausar in

Per-Ausar

28th Pamenot—Feast of Ausar in Abju

30th Pamenot—Feast of Ausar in Per-Ausar; The

Doorways of the Horizon are opened

30th Parmutit—Offerings to Ra, Wasir, Heru, Ptah,

Sokar, and Atum

18th Payni—Wasir Goes Forth from His Mountain

These festive occasions were repeated enough

that they became the norm for the society, and

people believed that Ausar was essential to the

happiness of the country.

Asar Sa Ra Imhotep

See alsoAuset

Further Readings

Asante, M. K. (2001).The Egyptian Philosophers.

Chicago: African American Images.

Diop, C. A. (1981).Civilization or Barbarism:An

Authentic Anthropology. Chicago: Lawrence Hill

Books.

AUSET

Auset is the venerated ancient Kemetic daughter

of Geb (god of earth) and Nut (god of the heav-

ens). In addition, she is the mother of Heru and

husband of Ausar. Kemetians represented her in

the form of a throne, which represents the seat

and transmission of power for the per-aa

(pharaoh). In the Theology of On (Heliopolis), she

is part of the Pesedjet, the collective company or

“family” of nine gods in the On cosmogony,

which included Ra, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Ausar,

Her-wer, Set, and Nebt-het.

Auset represented the female productive

forces in nature. Kemetians recognized her as a

moon goddess and a mystic goddess of the super-

natural associated with the tyet, a symbol of

magic in Kemet. In addition, Kemetians saw her

as a healer and protector of marriage and the

symbolic mother and protector of the per-aa.

She also protected the deceased, providing

them with nourishment for their journey in the

Tuat. Likewise, she was the guardian of the

Canopic jars, particularly the jar known as

Imsety, which contained the liver of the deceased.

Auset 79