The number of twelve hours passed by the sun god after entering the other world until he rises at dawn from the eastern horizon, each hour is divided into three rows representing the river and its two banks, and at the end of each gate stands the door guard. In front of each gate, there are two small gates on which two guards also stand, and they are decorated. The gates were marked with hikr marks that provided protection and decorations, and the dead and those accompanying the sun god knew the name of each gate and its guards.
first hour:-
It is the beginning of the other world, representing the western horizon. The guard of the first gate is a snake called “The Guardian of the Desert. It takes the form of a long snake along with the gate. It blows fire from its mouth. It has a role in opening the gate of the other world to Ra to enter and closing it after entering the Ra boat, to prevent sinners from entering.”
two o’clock:-
There is a guard at every entrance and exit with a fortified gate protected by deities and fire-breathing snakes. A large guard snake standing on its tail behind the fortified gate, and the arrival of the great idol and crossing it to this gate with the welcome of the deities present to him, this gate is known as “the glowing flame”.
The most important hours are the fifth and twelfth hours.
“five o’clock ”
Known as: The Lady of Perpetual, it has two gates and a larger number of guards.
And in it, the supremacy of Osiris over the other world appears at the end of this hour and the beginning of the next. The presence of the Osiris Hall distinguishes this hour. The deity Osiris appears sitting on the throne crowned and holding his insignia in the court. In front of him is a staircase of nine steps, on each of which there is a standing idol, and in front of Osiris, the balance And a standing mummy is carrying a balance beam. In front of Osiris, four African antelopes have depicted hanging and upside down. Osiris separates the blessed and the cursed, who are depicted invisibly, and the enemies are represented under the throne of Osiris.
“Twelve o’clock”
The twelfth hour in the Book of Gates represents the rebirth and rebirth of the sun god in the east after completing its night cycle. Divided into three registers, the sun god’s boat occupies the middle register. In the other two registers, we find the gods and creatures that the sun god meets at this hour. In the closing scene, the god Nun raises the sun god’s boat from the eternal waters.