Interesting post Graham - I would like to add a few observations concerning Orion and Snefru but first this is an extract from my notes on the 'two skies' if it's any help:


'two skies' is mentioned on the antechamber's east gable and wall, inside the Dynasty 5 pyramid of Unis and Dynasty 6 pyramid of Teti (W 180 (WT) PT 274 Sethe Vol 1: 212; §406c):


Allen: for both skies go around (in service) for him and the two shores serve him.

Allen's note: The term "both skies" refers to the two parts of the sky, north and south of the Winding Canal, and the "two shores" are those of the Nile: the passage indicates that sky and earth are in the deceased's service.


Faulkner: He has travelled around the whole of the two skies, He has circumambulated the Two Banks

Faulkner's note: 'two skies', i.e. of the upper world and of the Netherworld. 'Two Banks', Egypt


Eyre: He has gone round (dbn) the Two Skies complete, he has circumambulated (pXr) the Two Banks

or: The complete Two Skies go round for him; the Two Banks go about for him.

Eyre commentary: The circling of the sky by the stars is 'mythologized' as their service for the king, or the power of the king is symbolized by his circling of all he controls. The claim of the king to individual power over the gods by transfer of their 'magic' from their bellies , and absorption of their power to act (Ax) into his person, is now defined as cosmic power, for which the world / sky goes round. In contrast to the cataclysmic beginning of the hymn, the king is now the controller of the functioning cosmos, heaven and earth. The stars, that falling produce fiery catastrophe, are so tamed as to go round as lights to light his fire, and serve him food…….. (Eyre 2002: 123)



Lichtheim: He has encompassed the two skies, He has circled the two shores (Lichtheim 1973 (2006): 37)


Freidman: "the king has traveled around the whole of the two skies, meaning the skies of the upper and underworld, indicating in the context to be discussed in a moment, that the king lays claim to the furthest limits of heaven from the north to the south. The next line in this Pyramid Text says that "He has circuited about the two banks (pXr.n.f jdb.wj), meaning Egypt, a phrase that has considerable relevance to the overall Sed theme of the complex." (Freidman 1995: 22)


On all six panels beneath Netjerikhet's mortuary complex, are a pair of glyphs with shen rings behind the king, that represent one half of the hieroglyph for sky - it was pronounced mdnb, and stands for the limits of the sky.

“The other sign normally found in Heb-Sed reliefs, half N1 ‘sky’ sign, or half N1 ‘sky’ sign with shen-ring, has been identified with the hinge of a door, but variant writings with N1, ‘sky’ sign, show quite clearly that it is really a part of the sky. The symbol ‘sky’ sign with shen-ring occurs among the objects depicted on the interior of the Middle Kingdom coffin of Seni in the British Museum, and above the sign is a hieratic label naming it mdnbw wsxt. The word mdnbw is probably a substantive with prefixed m, derived once more from the verb dnb, and again meaning 'boundary','limit', or, more literally,'point of turning back'. In this case, however, the determinative half N1 ‘sky’ sign with shen-ring, shows that we are dealing with a boundary of the sky, as distinct from the similarly named land boundary determined with D. So both the limits of the land and of the sky are represented by the presence of these symbols in the Heb-Sed reliefs. As shown by the text on the coffin of Seni, the location of the sky-symbol was in the broad courtyard (wsxt). Another Middle Kingdom coffin in the British Museum bears a representation of the D with the accompanying inscription dnb wsxt ‘the boundary-marker of the broad court’. This means that both symbols were located in the broad court, which is where one would expect the running ritual to take place, and, more importantly, is in precise accord with the position of the markers in the Step Pyramid courtyards. In this context it is worth remarking on a title which I would suggest should be read rpa(t) (i)r(i) dnbw wsxt, presumably being an ancient title of an official who had duties connected with the Sed-festival, and with the boundary-markers in particular.” (JEA Vol. 64, A.J. Spencer 1978: 54)



Another mention of 'two skies' in the Pyramid Texts is in the Dynasty 6 pyramids of Teti, Merenre, and Pepi II. Inscription from the sarcophagus chamber of Teti (T 17 (TMN) PT 332 Sethe Vol 1: 276; §541c:

Allen: The two skies have gone to Teti, the two lands have come to Teti.

Allen's note: The "two skies" are the two parts of the sky, north and south of the Winding Canal, and the "two lands" are the Nile Valley and the Delta.

Faulkner: The two skies go to me, the two earths come to me

Faulkner's note: ……the duals would then refer to sky and earth in their eastern and western aspects.

CT