After the god, the offering formula (The Offering Formula) lists what the dead person should receive. The list is formulaic, and once you know it you can read the middle of almost any stela.
Key idea
| Egyptian | Meaning |
|---|---|
| prt-ḫrw | an invocation offering (offerings that come forth at the voice) |
| t | bread |
| ḥnqt | beer |
| kꜣw | oxen (beef) |
| ꜣpdw | fowl, birds |
| šs | alabaster (calcite), for vessels of oils and ointments |
| mnḫt | linen, clothing |
| ḫt nbt nfrt wꜥbt | every good and pure thing |
| ꜥnḫt nṯr jm | on which a god lives |
The list is often multiplied: ḫꜣ m t ḫꜣ m ḥnqt “a thousand of bread, a thousand of beer”, with the lotus 𓆼 for 1,000 (see Numerals). Bread, beer and the other gifts are usually written with short spellings or with pictures of the goods, because every reader knew the list.
The voice offering
prt means “going forth” and ḫrw “voice”. A prt-ḫrw is the offering that comes forth when the words are spoken. Many stelae address the living: “O you who live on earth, who pass by this stela… say: a thousand of bread and beer for the ka of N”. Speaking the formula was itself an offering.
Why it works
Common mistake
Worked example: Translate
- prt-ḫrw: an invocation offering (of)
- t ḥnqt: bread and beer
- kꜣw ꜣpdw: oxen and fowl
Answer: “an invocation offering of bread and beer, oxen and fowl”
Worked example: A thousand
- ḫꜣ “a thousand”.
- m “of, consisting of”.
- ḥnqt “beer”.
Answer: “a thousand (jugs) of beer”