The khery-heb(et)

The lector “he who carries (literally ‘is under’) the ritual book” is one of several categories of priesthood that functioned in ancient Egypt. He is first attested during the 2nd Dynasty but only appears as a regular officiant in the Old Kingdom mortuary cult during the 5th Dynasty. The lector, is consistently depicted carrying an open or rolled-up papyrus, an indication of his literacy and his role in ritual practices. The lector was a prominent officiant in the various ceremonies of the funeral procession from leaving the home of the deceased to the final interment in the tomb. He was a symbolic representative of Thoth, and his important delivery of the transfigurations transformed the deceased into an Akh, a “transfigured being”. Craftsmen who built the Old Kingdom tombs sometimes carried the additional title of lector and not only used their trade skills to build the tomb but were also involved in ritual activities. The lector displayed authority and may well have directed and guided ritual proceedings, but first and foremost he was literate and a specialist in ritual practices.