In the earliest times heaven was believed to be situated above the large, flat rectangular slab of iron (or alabaster?) which formed the sky. This slab was supported on four pillars, which were kept in position and presided over by the four sons of Horus, Mesthȧ, Ḥāpi, Ṭuamutef, and Qebḥsennuf. These four gods sat on pillars, which, subsequently, were regarded as the =four cardinal points=. The stars were believed to be hung from the slab by hooks through holes, 𓻊, like lamps from a ceiling. The righteous ascended to this heaven by means of a ladder. Osiris himself was obliged to use a ladder, and Horus and Set held each one side of the ladder [glyph not in Unicode], and assisted him to mount with their fingers. The models of ladders and of the two forefingers which are found in tombs commemorate this event. The name given to the =Other World= was =Ṭuat= 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓐰𓉐. This region was not _under_ the earth, or deep in it, but ran parallel with Egypt, which formed one side of it. A river flowed through the whole length of it. On the other side of the river was a range of mountains, and outside this was the great celestial ocean which surrounded the world. The Ṭuat was a valley which in the XIXth dynasty was believed to begin near Thebes, at Manu, the Mountain of Sunset, and, stretching northwards as far as Saïs, bent round towards the east until it reached the region of Ȧnnu (On), when it turned to the south and continued until it ended at Bakhet, the Mountain of Sunrise. The Ṭuat was divided into ten sections, and had a vestibule at each end of it, and in the XIXth dynasty it included the local kingdoms of the dead of Thebes, Abydos, Herakleopolis, Memphis, Saïs, Bubastis, and Ȧnnu. Each section was guarded by a massive gate, with battlements, but its door flew open before the Sun-god as he traversed the Ṭuat nightly in his boat. According to one legend there was a small passage at Abydos called “Peka,” _i.e._, the =Gap=, which connected this world with the Ṭuat; and according to another there was a similar passage at Thebes. Be this as it may, the souls of all those who had died during the day assembled in the passage each evening and endeavoured to obtain a seat in the solar bark as the god passed by. In its passage the boat passed the kingdom of Osiris; those who preferred a material heaven disembarked at that spot, and those who desired to become like Rā and to be with him remained in their places in the boat. For all souls, however, there was an examination of their credentials, and those who were not provided with amulets, and with formulas and words of power, were ejected.