Talismans - Magical gem: Harpocrates sitting on lotus (A) κραθουαθ, vocales (B)

Magical gem: Harpocrates sitting on lotus (A) κραθουαθ, vocales (B)

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CBd-Number:

CBd-508

ID-Number:

GB-BM-MMEu_G 345, EA 56345

Collection:

GB_London, The British Museum

Inventory:

G 345 (EA 56345)

References:

Michel, BM, no. 108; Michel, DMG, no. 19.1.a_8

Material:

jasper, green to black

Dimensions:

16 x 13 x 4 mm

Dating:

3rd c. AD (Michel)

Iconography:

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

Divine Names & Voces:

Ἰάω; κρατουαθ and variants

A: Horus-Harpocrates sitting to left on lotus flower with knees drawn up. On the flower two buds; baseline indicating primeval mound? His right hand raised to his mouth, his left holds a flail. A long side-lock of youth is falling to his neck, on the top of his head a lotus crown. On both sides of the crown eight-pointed stars. Around the figure: five characteres or letters.
B: Inscribed in four lines: κρα|θου|αθια|ωι → variant of κρατουαθ, vocales including 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.

Bibliography
Michel, BM on CBd-508
The British Museum Collection database on CBd-508

Last modified: 2020-12-29 20:53:44

Link:cbd.mfab.hu/cbd/508

CITE THIS PAGE

CBd-508. 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/508 on 08-10-2024.