Talismans - Magical gem: Harpocrates sitting on lotus (A) vox (B)

Magical gem: Harpocrates sitting on lotus (A) vox (B)

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CBd-Number:

CBd-511

ID-Number:

GB-BM-MMEu_G 1986,5-1,58

Collection:

GB_London, The British Museum

Inventory:

G 1986,5-1,58

References:

Michel, BM, no. 111; Michel, DMG, no. 19.1.b_9

Former Collections:

Ogden Collection

Material:

jasper, green to black

Dimensions:

15 x 12 x 2 mm

Dating:

3rd c. AD (Michel)

Iconography:

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

Divine Names & Voces:

voces, unidentified

A: Harpocrates sitting to right on lotus with knees drawn up. A snake is coiling around the lotus stalk; under the flower two smaller stalks with buds. Baseline indicating primeval mound? Horus’ left hand raised to his mouth, his right holds a flail. A long side-lock of youth is falling to his neck, on the top of his head the double crown of Egypt.
B: Inscribed in two lines: ορπαν|ουσμου → unidentified voces.

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-511
The British Museum Collection database on CBd-511

Last modified: 2020-12-29 20:58:42

Link:cbd.mfab.hu/cbd/511

CITE THIS PAGE

CBd-511. 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/511 on 07-09-2024.