Du chaos à la métaphore. Le régime des vents dans Néferti VIe–VIg

Abstract

“From chaos to metaphor. The wind regime in Neferti VIe–VIg” This paper re-examines Neferti VIe–VIg, principally known from pPetersburg 1116B, verso 28–30 and oUC 39637, 2–3. First, the transcription of Neferti VIe in pPetersburg, 28 is discussed, concluding that the restoration of the preposition m after xsf is to be discarded. Secondly, the differences between this version of Neferti VIe and the version in oUC 39637, 2 are reviewed, deducing that they cannot be regarded as “errors”, the London version being in fact a rewriting of the section. Although both versions seem to be incompatible, the Lower Egypt wind regime, where the south wind and the north wind alternate, allows us to understand that they both actually tell the same story: Lower Egypt is dominated by the north wind. In the light of this reinterpretation of Neferti VIe, Neferti VIe–VIg can be read as a metaphor instead of a description of chaos: The north wind blowing continuously, and thereby enabling the “alien bird” (#pd DrDr) to nest and reproduce, is a metaphor for the lack of royal authority extending up to the Delta, so that the Asiatics (o#m.w) can invade it and settle there. As such, Neferti VIe–VIg is in perfect accordance with the outcome of the Prophecy of Neferti, which predicts that the saviour king will come from the South, restore royal power and sovereignty in Lower Egypt and repel the Asiatics.