Bonner, SMA – PDF, 59.

μεθεαα. It was probably intended for σεμεσειλαμ. The marginal inscription has been damaged, but the word αντοπτορηκτα can be read.

The other specimen, which was in private possession in Paris early in the last century, is illustrated by Matter in his Histoire critique du gnosticisme (Pl. 2A, 10).³³ The obverse closely resembles that of the Southesk stone; the differences, which need not be dwelt upon here, have to do with the reading of the marginal inscription, which is somewhat damaged in the Southesk specimen, and may or may not have been the same as in Matter's stone. But while the Southesk gem has on the reverse simply the figure of a scarab beetle, the Paris stone has the symbols , each three times. The first two of these are common on Chnoubis amulets; the third occurs on many types of magical stones.

The words ανοχ at the left, and Χολχνουβις at the right, of the upright serpent are to be read on both amulets. ανοχ may be the Coptic first person pronoun, but some doubt is cast upon this equation by the fact that ανοχ is found with other nomina sacra in circumstances that seem to mark it as a name in itself. Χολχνουβις we have seen as a possible representative of Χαρχνουμις, the first decan of Leo in Hephaestion's scheme; but apart from the snake form, the close connection with the ordinary Chnoubis type is shown by the use of some of the same magical words, and, in particular, in the case of the Paris gem, by the characters associated with Chnoubis amulets.

Besides the ancient evidence showing that Chnoubis amulets were esteemed as a remedy for stomach troubles, there are several inscriptions that prove this use of them. I have already mentioned in another connection (p. 10) the peachstone-shaped chalcedony in the Michigan collection which is inscribed πέσσε πέσσε on the reverse. The same inscription, except that πέσσε is written three times, is seen on the reverse of a Chnoubis amulet of normal type (brownish chalcedony) in the Museo Borgiano.³⁴ On the reverse of a Syrian specimen the maker has inscribed στομακου η Χνουνις (sic), of which the editor (Mouterde) remarks: “Il est fort possible que le graveur ait copié servilement une recette où l'on indiquait, à côté de l'image à graver, deux textes à choisir: Chnouphis ou Στομάχου.”³⁵ An obsidian in the Cabinet des Médailles has on the reverse of an ordinary Chnoubis design the words φύλαξον ὑγιῆ στόμαχον Πρόκλου, “Keep Proclus' stomach healthy.”³⁶

No little importance was attached by the ancients to the material used for these amulets, though the prescriptions are not entirely in agreement. Galen recommends χλωρὸς ἴασπις; evidently the stone was light green, but whether it was what is now known as jasper is much less certain. Marcellus in one passage recommends for stomach ailments an amulet of the Chnoubis type on jasper (color not stated); but in another he recommends the sign , usually seen on Chnoubis amulets, cut on iaspis Phrygia aerizousa

³³ The swathed serpent is described as a chrysalis by Matter, III, 36; M. Schwab calls it a cornucopia with a human face emerging from it (Mém. Acad. Inscr., 10, 390).

³⁴ Museo Borgiano, p. 459, 39.

³⁵ Mouterde, “Le Glaive de Dardanos,” p. 74.

³⁶ Chabouillet 2189; Matter, Pl. II A, 8.

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