Talismans - Magical gem: Harpocrates in papyrus boat between snakes, baboons and hawks

Magical gem: Harpocrates in papyrus boat between snakes, baboons and hawks

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CBd-Number:

CBd-524

ID-Number:

GB-BM-MMEu_G 68, EA 56068

Collection:

GB_London, The British Museum

Inventory:

G 68 (EA 56068)

References:

Michel, BM, no. 124; Michel, DMG, no. 19.3.d_12

Former Collections:

Towneley Collection

Material:

jasper, green to black

Dimensions:

12 x 17.5 x 2 mm

Dating:

3rd c. AD (Michel)

Iconography:

gesture, hand raised to mouth; animal: cynocephali (2); uraeus; side-lock of youth; bird: falcons (2); boat, papyrus; gesture, greeting; snakes (2); gesture, ithyphallic; Harpocrates sitting on lotus flower; Harpocrates seated with knees drawn up; flail

Divine Names & Voces:

Ἀβρασάξ; Ἰάω

A: Harpocrates sitting to left on a lotus flower in the middle of a papyrus boat. Originally: two falcons sitting on both ends of the boat facing each other, now the left falcon is missing as the gemstone is broken. The god’s knees are drawn up, his right hand raised to his mouth, his left holds a flail. A long side-lock of youth is falling to his neck. On both sides of Harpocrates a snake is facing the god, the left one is a uraeus. Behind the snakes two ithyphallic cynocephali stand facing the god and raising their arms in a greeting gesture. Under the boat, in the field: ιαωαβρασαξ → Ἰάω, Ἀβρασάξ.
B: Plain.

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-524
The British Museum Collection database on CBd-524

Last modified: 2020-12-29 21:14:39

Link:cbd.mfab.hu/cbd/524

CITE THIS PAGE

CBd-524. 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/524 on 08-02-2023.