The Origin of Unclean Animals Overview

• Language: Hieroglyphics

• Province: Egypt

• Date: [Not mentioned]

• Purpose: Explain the taboo against eating pork

• From the Book of the Dead chapter 112 and coffins

pg. 10

Re asks to see Horus’ eye after he finished a fight with Seth to see who would rule. He sees that part of his eye is black, but that it then heals and is white again.

Re and Horus then look at a black pig, but Horus freaks out because it looks like his black eye when Seth fought with him, and passes out. It is then said that Seth had taken the form of a black pig. Re declares that pigs are abominations and ought not be sacrificed to Horus. Re calls pigs abominations because of the pain they caused him, but God declares pigs unclean because, even though they have cloven hoves, they do not ruminate.