ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Amduat

Amduat is a special book that was written a long time ago by ancient Egyptians. It tells a story about what happens to the Sun God, Ra, when he goes on a very important journey through the underworld during the night.

You know how the Sun rises every morning and gives us light and warmth? Well, Ra is the Sun God, and he does the same thing for the Egyptians in ancient times. But at night, when we go to sleep, Ra goes on his own special journey.

The journey Ra takes is called the amduat. The amduat is like a map or a guide for Ra to follow as he travels through the underworld. It has pictures and words that tell Ra what to do and where to go.

The underworld is a special place that the ancient Egyptians believed in. They thought it was where people went after they died. It was kind of like a different world with different rules. And during the night, Ra would go there too, not because he was dead but because he wanted to defeat evil and bring back light for everyone in the morning.

The amduat is divided into different sections, just like chapters in a book. Each section shows a different part of the journey and what Ra has to do. It also has pictures of creatures and monsters that Ra has to face. Some of these creatures are scary, but Ra is very brave and can defeat them all!

In the amduat, Ra travels in a special boat called the "solar barque." It's like a big boat that can float on water, but Ra's boat doesn't float on water, it floats on darkness. The darkness in the underworld is like a big ocean that Ra has to cross.

As Ra travels through the underworld in his boat, he goes through different stages. There are different gates or doors that he has to pass through. Each gate is like a test or challenge for Ra. But because Ra is a very powerful and important god, he can pass through these gates easily.

During his journey, Ra meets many friendly creatures too. These creatures help him along the way and protect him from the bad ones. They guide him and give him advice so that he can continue his journey safely.

The amduat also tells us about the different hours of the night. The ancient Egyptians divided the night into 12 hours, just like we divide the day into 12 hours. Each hour represents a different part of Ra's journey. The book shows us what happens to Ra during each hour and what he does to overcome obstacles.

At the end of the amduat, Ra successfully completes his journey through the underworld. He defeats all the monsters and reaches the last gate. Then, he rises back into the sky and brings light and life to the world once again.

The amduat was a very important book for the ancient Egyptians. They believed that by reading or reciting the amduat, they could help the Sun God Ra on his journey and get his protection and blessings. It was like a way for them to connect with their god and feel safe and secure.

Even though we don't worship Ra or believe in the underworld like the ancient Egyptians did, the amduat is still very interesting and important to study. It tells us a lot about the beliefs and culture of the ancient Egyptians and how they saw the world and the afterlife.