Talismans - Magical gem: Harpocrates sitting on lotus, snake (A) Ἰάω (B)

Magical gem: Harpocrates sitting on lotus, snake (A) Ἰάω (B)

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CBd-Number:

CBd-507

ID-Number:

GB-BM-MMEu_G 85, EA 56085

Collection:

GB_London, The British Museum

Inventory:

G 85 (EA 56085)

References:

Goodenough, JS, III, no. 1103; Michel, BM, no. 107; Michel, DMG, no. 19.1.b_2

Material:

heliotrope

Dimensions:

13 x 10 x 2 mm

Dating:

2nd–3rd c. AD (Michel)

Iconography:

plant: stalks of grain; crown, lotus; primeval mound?; side-lock of youth; snake; gesture, hand raised to mouth; cornucopia; Harpocrates seated with knees drawn up; Harpocrates sitting on lotus flower; plant: lotus buds (2)

Divine Names & Voces:

Ἰάω

A: Horus-Harpocrates sitting to right on lotus with knees drawn up. On both sides of the lotus flower a stalk of grain, under the flower two lotus stalks without buds. Baseline indicating primeval mound? Horus’ left hand raised to his mouth, his right holds a cornucopia. A long side-lock of youth is falling to his neck, on the top of his head a crown. On the right side of the gem a bearded snake facing Horus.
B: ιαω → Ἰάω.
A praxis known from a papyrus (PGM LXI 1-38) specifies that love charms had to be incised with the image of Horus on a lotus flower and the magical name Abraxas. Pieces with the Horus-scheme used as love charms: CBd-533, CBd-534.
S. Michel points to the similarity between the Horus-snake composition on the gem and Egyptian decan-representations (see link below).

Bibliography
Michel, BM on CBd-507
The British Museum Collection database on CBd-507

Last modified: 2015-01-09 14:00:30

Link:cbd.mfab.hu/cbd/507

CITE THIS PAGE

CBd-507. The Campbell Bonner Magical Gems Database (2010-), developed at the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, editor-in-chief: Á. M. Nagy. Retrieved from: cbd.mfab.hu/cbd/507 on 16-09-2024.