J

187

jackal This animal, called auauor a’asha,was associ-
ated with MORTUARY RITUALSand the cults of the gods
ANUBISand DUAMUTEF. The jackal was viewed as a strong,
cunning, and persistent hunter and was also known to
destroy early Egyptian gravesites. The DOGand the wolf
were both revered. Anubis is depicted as a jackal in mor-
tuary reliefs, and priests wore jackal masks in cere-
monies. Duamutef, one of the Sons of Horus serving as
guardians of the vital organs of the deceased, was illus-
trated as a jackal’s head on the CANOPIC JARS. The jackal
cult had its origins in the area of ABYDOSearly in Egyptian
history. The PYRAMID TEXTSof the Old Kingdom Period
(2575–2134 B.C.E.) attested that a dead pharaoh would
assume the face of a jackal. In time the jackal was called
KHENTIAMENTIU, “the Prince or Lord of the West,” or “the
Prince of the Divine Hall.” OSIRISassumed these titles
when his cult achieved national prominence.

Joppa This was a site on the coast of southern Israel
located at modern Tel Aviv-Yafo. DJEHUTI, a trusted Egyp-
tian officer of TUTHMOSIS III(r. 1479–1425 B.C.E.), took
over the ancient city of Joppa. This officer used a ruse
that has become a plot element in literature. The event
was celebrated in Egypt and recorded in the HARRIS
PAPYRUS500, now in the British Museum in London. This
military deceit was also transformed into an Arabic tale of
later centuries.
According to this literary tradition, Djehuti met with
an official of Joppa outside the city gates and declared
that he and his family hoped to defect to Joppa and the
Hurrian troops that served as the city’s allies. The Joppa
official was thrilled to hear of the proposed defection
and anticipated caravans of loot and spoils of war that

Djehuti promised to deliver. He also allowed a unit of

Egyptian cavalry to enter the city, followed by troops and

donkeys carrying more than 200 baskets. Once inside

the gates of Joppa, the fully armed Egyptian soldiers

leaped from the baskets, and the charioteers and escort

troops joined in taking the defenseless city. Djehuti was

able to send an immediate message of victory to Tuthmo-

sis III.

Djehuti was buried on the western shore of Thebes,

and his mortuary regalia is now on display in various

European collections. The best known of these grave

objects, a golden bowl, is in the Louvre in Paris. The cap-

ture of Joppa was retold in the story of “Ali Baba and the

Forty Thieves” in the Tales of the Arabian Nights.The

story of the Trojan Horse in the later Greek epic is also

similar.

Judgment Halls of Osiris Also called the Judgment

Halls of the Dead, a mythical site located in the TUAT, or

Underworld, the destination of all Egyptians beyond the

grave. OSIRIS, as the Lord of the Underworld, sat in judg-

ment of all souls, aided by the goddess MA’AT, the FORTY-

TWO JUDGES, and other mortuary deities. The site and the

rituals of the halls are depicted in various mortuary

papyri. In some of these papyri, the site is called “the Hall

of the Two Ma’at Goddesses.” When the goddess Ma’at

was in attendance at these judgments of the deceased, she

often appeared in double form, hence the name. The

entrance to the area was called Kersek-shu, and the entire

edifice was in the shape of a coffin. Two pools were nor-

mally included in the setting, both of which were men-

tioned in various versions of the BOOK OF THE DEADin the

New Kingdom (1550–1070 B.C.E.) and later.