The Symbolism of Dreams

( Extract from the book - "Heka - The Practices of Ancient Egyptian Ritual & Magic by David Rankine - for more information on this book click here)

Dreams were an important part of life to the ancient Egyptians. Dreams conveyed the sleeper into the realms of the gods. Indeed some texts refer to the sleeping dreamer being immersed in the primal waters of Nun, equating the time asleep with the primeval time before creation.

The analysis of dreams was a highly developed art in Egypt. There were books of thousands of dreams and their interpretations held at some of the temples for dream analysis. The most important of these is credited to Hor of Sebennytos.

Listed below are examples of dreams and the interpretations placed upon them:

Capturing female slave = Good = Gaining satisfaction from something.
Climbing on a mast = Good = Being suspended aloft by your god.
Copulating with a pig = Bad = Being deprived of your possessions.
Drinking blood = Good = Putting an end to your enemies.
Drinking own urine = Good = Eating your son's possessions.
Drinking wine = Good = Living in righteousness.
Eating excrement = Good = Eating your possessions in your house.
Killing an ox = Good = The removal of enemies from your presence.
Picking dates = Good = Finding provisions given by your god.
Seeing a large cat = Good = A large harvest is coming.
Seeing face as leopard = Good = Gaining authority over your townfolk.
Uncovering backside = Bad = You will become an orphan.
Writing on a palette = Good = Establishment of your office.

Particular items and stones each had their own interpretation, e.g. pearl meant "Pharaoh will make good fortune for the dreamer", an object made of galena meant "life will be pleasant after great misfortune", and an alabaster object implied sexual infidelity with a married person. If an object was broken in the dream, it meant that hostility was being directed at the dreamer from a source, which could be determined by other details in the dream.

One of the techniques of interpretation was by looking at similar sounding words. So a dream of a harp (bnt) could mean that something evil (bint) was happening, or a dream of a donkey (az) might imply promotion (saz).

Some temples were famous as centres of dream incubation. Here a person could spend the night in a special building, possibly aided by the use of visionary incenses. The dreams could then be aimed at communication with the gods or with deceased relatives to gain insight into the future or discover the root of a problem.

The following techniques for dream visions are from British Museum Papyrus No. 122.

To obtain a vision from Bes - make a drawing of Besa, on your left hand, and envelope your hand in a strip of black cloth that has been consecrated to Isis and lie down to sleep without speaking a word, even in answer to a question. Wind the remainder of the cloth round your neck.

The ink with which you write must be composed of the blood of a cow, the blood of a white dove, fresh frankincense, myrrh, black writing-ink, cinnabar, mulberry juice, rain-water, and the juice of wormwood and vetch.

With this write your petition before the setting sun, [and say],
"Send the truthful seer out of the holy shrine, I beseech thee, Lampsuer, Sumarta, Baribas, Dardalam, Iorlex: O Lord send the sacred deity Anuth , Anuth, Salbana, Chambré, Breïth, now, now, quickly, quickly. Come in this very night."

To procure dreams: Take a clean linen bag and write upon it the names given below. Fold it up and make it into a lamp-wick, and set it alight, pouring pure oil over it. The word to be written is this: Armiuth, Lailamchoüch, Arsenophrephren, Phtha, Archentechtha. Then in the evening, when you are going to bed, which you must do without touching food [or, pure from all defilement], do thus. Approach the lamp and repeat seven times the formula given below: then extinguish it and lie down to sleep.

The formula is this:
"Sachmu epaëma Ligotereënch: the Aeon, the Thunderer, Thou that hast swallowed the snake and dost exhaust the moon, and dost raise up the orb of the sun in his season, Chthetho is thy name; I require, O lords of the gods, Seth, Chreps, give me the information that I desire."

( Extract from the book - "Heka - The Practices of Ancient Egyptian Ritual & Magic by David Rankine - for more information on this book click here)