After Set murdered his brother Ausar, the good king's wife, Aset, searched the world for his body. Eventually she found his body in a giant tree that been cut down and used as a pillar to hold up the palace of the king of Byblos. The king of Byblos gave the pillar to Aset, and she consecrated it, transforming the pillar into the djed.

The djed pillar is closely associated with Ptah and Ausar. In fact, it is considered a representation of Ausar's backbone. The djed pillar signifies stability, endurance, resurrection, and eternal life.

Chapter 155 of The Book of Going Forth By Day specifies a djed pillar made of gold, and it indicates the following words of power are associated with its use:

Raise yourself, O Ausar,
place yourself on your side,
that I may put water beneath you
and that I may bring you
a djed pillar of gold
that you may rejoice at it.

The gold djed pillar shown on this page was from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. The engraving contains the verse from Chapter 155 given above.