Role of Numbers in Ancient Kemet (Egypt) An analysis by Dr. Kwame Nantambu who is an Associate Professor, Dept.

of Pan-African Studies, Kent State University, U.S.A. A Nubian has been always renowned for his sheer honesty. He is an artist by natu re and his lucky number was always seven. He holds the nine as a sacred object a nd wishes to stay on the Nile bank throughout his life. Under the philosophical and spiritual teachings and belief system of ancient Kem et (Egypt), numbers played a significant role. This is contrary to the sometimes derogatory, negative, ahistorical and Eurocentric interpretation that are given today. For example, in ancient Kemet, the number seven represented completion. Thus, th e Euro-Christian Holy Bible says that Almighty God rested on the seventh day aft er the completion of creation. The seventh day of the week, Sunday, is now regar ded "a day of rest from servile work." Let us also recall that in ancient Kemet, Son was synonymous with Sun. So this A .D. Euro-Christian religious belief concept of the Son of God is nothing but der ivative of the original Afrikan-Kemetic spiritual belief system. In ancient Kemet, there were also seven cardinal principles/virtues of Goddess M aat to achieve human perfectibility. These principles are Truth, Justice, Balanc e, Order, Compassion, Harmony, and Reciprocity. In addition, the Greeks who were the students of Afrikans teachers in ancient Ke metic Temples, "were given and education in the seven Liberal Arts, which became the prototype for the later Greek and Roman (and current world-wide) education systems". These seven Liberal Arts courses were Grammar, Arithmetic, Rhetoric, D ialetic, Geometry, Astronomy, and Music. In Biblical times, there are thus "seven deadly sins of the bible," viz, Sloth, Lust, Anger, Pride, Envy, Gluttony, and Greed. There is also the "seven pointed star," where all seven points are equidistant, radiating seven currents of force that represent seven principles of human existence. This ancient Afrikan belief system gave rise to the seven Hermetic principles, w hich are the foundation of Hermetic philosophy. These principles are the Princip le of Mentalism, The Principle of Correspondence, The Principle of Vibration, Th e Principle of Polarity, The Principle of Rhythm, The Principle of Cause and Eff ect, and The Principle of Gender. Hence, it need occasion no great surprise that in 1965, an Afrikan-American prof essor, Dr. Maulana Karenga, created the Afrikan-centered celebration of Kwanzaa based on the doctrine of Kawaida. This Nguzo Saba (Kwanzaa) celebration lasts fo r seven days from the 26th December to 1st January. Its primary raison d'etre is "to give thanks and to make a joyful noise in a meaningful and traditional way. " The seven principles of Kwanzaa are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Umoja (Unity) Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) Ujima (Collective work and Responsibility) Ujamaa ( Cooperative Economics) Nia (Purpose) Kuuma (Creativity) Imani (Faith)

Kwanzaa indeed solidifies and perpetuates our ancient Afrikan spirituality. In addition, the Afrikan spiritual belief system cities seven Stages/Ages of Man in the completion of his life cycle. They are Infancy, Boyhood, Youth, Manhood, Middle-age, Old-age, and Senility. And every human being possesses seven senses ; they are Hearing, Touch, Sight, Taste, Smell, Intuition, and Clairvoyance. In ancient Kemet, our Afrikan ancestors believed in the nine inseperable parts o f the soul. According to Dr. Kwabena F. Ashanti is his Rootwork and Voodo in Mental Health, (1997) these parts are: (1) The Ka -the abstract personality of the individual to whom it belongs, Poss essing the form and attributes of a human with power of movement omnipresence, a nd ability to receive nourishment. Equivalent to what we call the shadow image. (2) The Khat - the mortal concrete personality, the physical body. (3) The Ba- the heart-soul, which lives in the Ka and sometimes beside it, to s upply the Ka with food and air. Capable of metamorphosis. (4) The Ab- the heart, the physical life in humans, spiritual, rational and eth ical. Associated with the Ba(heart-soul). In the Egyptian Judgment Drama, it und ergoes examination in the presence of the God Osiers, the great creator and judg e of the dead. (5) The Kaibit-the shadow. Also associated with the Ba, from which it receives its nourishments. Has the power of movement and omnipresence. (6) The Khu-spiritual soul that lives forever. A heavenly being, closely associ ated with the Ba. (7) The Sahu- the spiritual body in which the Khu or spiritual soul dwells. The moral nature of mental and spiritual qualities is united to form new powers tha t man has the choice to use for good or evil. (8) The Sekhem- the power or spirit of the vital force in humans. Lives in the heavens with the spirit of Khu. (9) The Ren- the name of an individual, the essential attribute for preservatio n of a being. The ancients believed that in the absence of a name, individual ce ased to exist. The quality of a name, therefore, was very important. In addition, Egyptians were also "the first to identify the Gods of order and ar rangement in the universe." This Ennead of ancient Kemet consisted of nine gods. They are: (1) (2) (3) (4) Shu, the God of air; Tefnut, the Goddess of Moisture; Geb, the God of Earth; and Nut, Goddess of the sky; universe

These Gods gave birth to (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) Osiris, the God of omnipotence and omniscience; Isis, the wife of Osiris, the female principle; Seth, the God of evil, opposite good; Nephthys, wife of Seth, and Atum (Atom), the creator God of Gods.

In ancient Kemet, "in keeping with the nine inseparable parts of the human soul, a child is not given a name (Ren) until it was nine days old." This ancient Kem etic spiritual ceremony is now called "Baptism" in the Euro-Christian religious ceremony. In addition, it need occasion no great surprise that a mother (mom) carries her baby in her womb for nine months before delivery/birth and the fact that today a cat has nine lives. There were also nine cardinal Principles of Righteousness or being right in anci ent Kemet. They were as follows: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) Right Right Right Right Right Right Right Right Right intentions thought speech effort action living reality understanding wisdom

Under the philosophical and spiritual teachings of the ancient Egyptian (Kemetic ) Mystery System, the number thirteen represented transformation, resurrection, rebirth and a new life. So in the B.C. era, originally, there was nothing negati ve, scary, shameful, or unlucky about the number thirteen. Its use has only been bastardized in today's cynical, ignorant world, belief sys tems and modus vivendi. Furthermore, under the ancient Egyptian secret Brotherho od, commonly known today as Freemasonry, the number thirteen had special meaning and significance with regard to the establishment of complete freedom of worshi p, governance, social order and esoteric philosophy. The fact of the matter is that all the early U.S. Presidents were Masons steeped in the teachings and philosophy of the ancient Egyptian Mystery System. These i ndividuals then transferred all the positive aspects of the number thirteen to r ule, govern and protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in the United States. First, when the U.S. Constitution was signed on 17 September 1787, thirteen out of the forty signatories were freemasons. Second, the independence of United Sta tes falls on 4 July 1776. This date was timed by Masonic "Founding Fathers" to c oincide with the astrological sign of Cancer-which also ruled ancient Egypt. Now , the fourth of July follows exactly thirteen days after the Sun enters the sign of Cancer during the summer solstice beginning 21 June and 4 July. Thus, the Un ited States was founded on ancient Egyptian (Kemetic) spiritual principles and b elief. In the year 1776, we have seven plus six, which makes thirteen. The "Founding Fathers" of the United States did not arbitrarily select the Fourt h of July 1776 as Independence Day. In the tradition of Kemetic spiritually, phi losophy and belief systems in the B.C. era, the 4 July 1776 then gave America a new life, a rebirth, a transformation and resurrection from its status as a colo ny of Britain to that of a new sovereign, independent, nation-state. On the whole then, Masonic lodges, based on the principles concepts and belief s ystem of number thirteen were introduced in American colonies in 1738. The Bosto n Masons organized the "Boston Tea Party" at the Green Dragon Tavern, described by Daniel Webster as "the headquarters of the American revolution." Paul Revere was a master Mason as was every general officer in the U.S. revoluti

onary army starting with Joseph Warren, Grand Master of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge and the first to die at Bunker Hill. Two thousand more Masons were among o fficers of all grades, including George Washington's aide-de-camp, who fought in this battle. Of the fifty-six signatories of the Declaration of Independence, f ifty were Masons including its prime author, Thomas Jefferson. In the colonies, the practice of Freemasonry, was the only institution in which leaders of different colonies could meet on common ground. Founded on universal principles, i.e., the brotherhood of man, the immortality of the soul and the ex istence of a supreme spiritual being, which came out of ancient Kemet, in the B. C. era, the Mason Lodge in early America became a sanctuary in which each man co uld not meet on an equal plane. In Virginia, when members of Alexandria's Mason Lodge 22 declared themselves ind ependent from the foreign jurisdiction, the named George Washington "First Maste r of their Lodge". And when peace finally came, Robert Livingston, Grand Master of New York's Grand Lodge, administered the oath of office to George Washington as the first president. And at George Washington's burial on his estate at Mount Vernon, six of the pallbearers and three of the officiating clergymen were Maso ns. One by one, Washington's Masonic brethren cast upon his coffin the ritual of the ancient Egyptians Osirian symbol of the resurrection of the spirit. Freemasons decided to raise a Tekhenu, the phallic symbol of the God Ausar (Osiris as the G reeks were later to call him) in Washington's memory. Proposed in Congress be Ma son John Marshall of Virginia, the Tekhenu was built from granite and marble blo cks. At the Tekhenu's dedication in 1884, Speaker of the House, Robert C. Wintro p, regretted that Americans did not have the skill the Egyptians had and could n ot build the 600-foot Tekhenu from one single slab of stone. Mason John C. Palmer declared that the monument symbolized human society which c onsisted of people whose minds were enlightened with divine truth, their hearts radiant with discovering the joy of pure love, and their souls cherishing (like ancient Egyptians worshipers of Osiris) the hope of immortality. Third, it is no accident, that at independence, there were thirteen colonies. Fo urth, if one were to look at a U.S. one dollar bill, one will discover with amaz ement that there are thirteen layers of the pyramid-which was built by Afrikans in the B.C. era and not by putative aliens from out of space or "tanned European s" and the Great Seal of the United States has thirteen layers. Fifth, the thirt een amendment gave the slaves a new life, a rebirth, transformation, and resurre ction from their status as slaves to that of "free-men". Sixth, in courtroom pro ceedings under any legal system in the entire world, there are twelve members of the jury plus the one judge, which gives a total of thirteen participants. And Finally, the Euro-Christian Holy Bible says that there is no record of Jesus from age thirteen until age thirty. Well where was he? Why did Jesus leave home at this age "to be about his father's business"? Why didn't he choose to leave home at sixteen or seventeen years of age? Did Jesus know about the spiritual te achings of the ancient Kemetic (Egyptian) Mystery System and that's why he had t o leave home at that celestial age? Where did Jesus go at age thirteen to be edu cated so that he can be resurrected and transformed? The number fourteen was also significant in ancient Kemet. This is associated wi th the "Osirian Drama". The story/mythology is as follows: Seth (the God of evil ) was jealous of his brother Osiris (the God of the dead, underworld and resurre ction) who was receiving all the praise and glory. In his rage, Seth cut Osiris' body into fourteen parts and distributed them all over Kemet. However Osiris' wife, Isis transformed herself into a bird and flew all over kem

et in search of the body parts of Osiris. Isis only found thirteen parts. The mi ssing part that she was unable to find was Osiris phallus/penis. The myth says that it was eaten by the fish in the Nile River. Isis then made an artificial penis with mud and water from the water from the Nile. She was then able to impregnate herself and thus give birth to a Son called Heru, whom the Eu ro-Greeks renamed Horus, and Catholics now call Jesus. In other words, Isis created a new life consistent with the spiritual concept of number thirteen and this spiritual phenomenon of ancient Kemet is called the "I mmaculate Conception" or "Virgin Birth" in the Euro-Christian religion today. In addition, at Easter Christians/Catholics all over the world, celebrate the "Fou rteen Stations of the Cross," which is a direct religious derivative of the anci ent Kemetic spiritual "Osirian Drama". This artificial penis that Isis created was originally called the Tekhenu by the ancient Afrikan Kemites; it was later called the Obelisk by the Greeks when the y occupied Egypt 332 B.C. to 30 B.C.; and the Washington Monument in Euro-Americ a in the modern A.D. era. Moreover, on 19 May 1798, when Napoleon Bonaparte inva ded Egypt with 328 ships, 175 scholars and 35,000 soldiers he was so overwhelmed and totally annoyed at the massive monuments he saw that were built by Afrikan people that he ordered his soldiers to blow off the nose of the Horem Akhet (cal led the Sphinx by the Greeks). But his soldiers had to fire twenty-one shots in order to blow the nose off the Sphinx: hence, the origin of the "Twenty-one gun Salute" that is performed at Arlington Cemetary in the United States. As an addendum, Spirituality represents a direct connectedness/inter-relatedness with nature, the cosmos, universe and that spiritual God-force, Amum-Ra, "the g iver of life"; it is this ancient Afrikan god who was born on 25 December. Religion represents the deification of a people's cultural experience, politics and political power control intent. Hence, the reason why in ancient Kemet, unde r the spiritual belief system and way of life, the Afrikan-Kemites were judged b y the "42 Negative Confessions", "42 Declarations of Innocence" or "42 Admonitio ns of Maat." They were 42 in number because there were 42 "Nomes" (called distri cts/states today) in Kemet at that time. Today, however, under the religious bel ief system and way of life of Euro-Christianity/Catholicism, Christians are judg ed by the "Ten Commandments". The fact of the matter is that in the B.C. era Afrika was known as the "land of the spiritual people"; but as a result of the European supremacy, Afrikan people s have been transformed into a religious people.