Head as an independent part of the body in the another world.
The examples discussed in the article related to the existence of the head in another world show the dichotomy of good and evil that is characteristic of Egyptian worldview -cutting off the head makes it possible to reconnect with the new transformed body for eternal life, while cutting off the head is a way of punishing enemies. In the Pyramid Texts, a dual relationship to the head is traced -the head, which exists separately from the body, is attached to the body and cutting off the head as a punishment. The earliest written source confirming the independent existence of the head in the other world is the Texts of the Pyramids, where the head exists as part of the rebirth ritual. There is hardly any doubt that the Pyramid Texts preserved and reflected the custom, which had existed in pre-dynastic times, namely dismembering the body before burial. Part of this ritual action was the separation of the head. As the analysis of the texts shows, all dissected parts of the body had to be connected in the another world. This act of reunification is associated with the Horus as the triumph of justice over Seth's atrocity. Perhaps due to this victory over Seth, cutting off the head was also associated with punishment, as evidenced by the utterances that speak of the heads of Seth's minions. However, this is only a logical assumption. The head for reunion with the body is passed to the deceased by gods. In the Pyramid Texts these are Geb, Nut, Shu, that is, gods associated with the main constants of human being in the earthly and cosmic world. Atum, Horus, Re are also mentioned, who were connected with the foundations of the universe. An analysis of the utterances of the Texts of the Pyramids suggests that the archaic rite of dismemberment of the body, reflected in the Texts of the Pyramids, dates back to a mythological episode reminded the dismembered and reunited Osiris, which also found its place in the texts of that epoch. The examples studied in the article show that the head exists in another world outside the body. The head must be jointed to the body, and this is an act of the gods - the creator god Atum (raising heads), the god Thoth. After reuniting the head with the body, the latter became “completed,” and the deceased received the opportunity to enter to heaven. The ideas about the actions taken to reunite the head and body are closely related to the offering of certain types of bread. The head was compared with the Horus of Duat and with Shu, Geb and Nut, which may be seen as a confirmation not only of the independent existence of the head, but also of its divine character.