Talismans - Magical gem: Horus as child in papyrus boat, triads of animals

Magical gem: Horus as child in papyrus boat, triads of animals

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CBd-Number:

CBd-528

ID-Number:

GB-BM-MMEu_G 493, EA 56493

Collection:

GB_London, The British Museum

Inventory:

G 493 (EA 56493)

References:

Michel, BM, no. 128; Michel, DMG, no. 19.4_1

Material:

haematite (black)

Dimensions:

20 x 13 x 1.5 mm

Dating:

3rd c. AD (Michel)

Iconography:

gesture, hand raised to mouth; crown, unspecified; flail; animal: crocodiles (3); bird: falcons (3); animal: goats (3); scarabs (3); scarab; moon, crescent; snakes (3); solar disk; side-lock of youth; Harpocrates sitting on lotus flower; Harpocrates seated with knees drawn up; boat, papyrus

A: Harpocrates sitting to left on a lotus flower with double stalk, in the middle of a small papyrus boat. The god’s knees are drawn up, his right hand raised to mouth, his left holds a flail. A long side-lock of youth is falling to his neck, on the top of his head: the solar disk. Above his left shoulder: a crescent. Around Harpocrates triads of animals: scarabs; falcons wearing crowns; crocodiles; uraeus snakes and goats.
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-528
The British Museum Collection database on CBd-528

Last modified: 2020-12-31 12:30:53

Link:cbd.mfab.hu/cbd/528

CITE THIS PAGE

CBd-528. 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/528 on 09-03-2025.