Bonner, SMA – PDF, 239.

material is a bead in the Walters Gallery (D. 359); it has on the broader sides a roughly indicated Anubis and an orans, apparently female, on the narrower sides a snake and Iao. Here belongs also an almost cubical bead in the British Museum (56483), which has a different set of designs, if these clumsy scratchings can be so called. One of the broad faces shows a heavy, stumpy, snake-footed monster whose head looks like that of an ass; but here, as in other cases, aπowance must be made for the bad workmanship and for the possibility that the carver intended to represent the head and ears of a jackal. On the other broad face an ouroboros encloses the sign IMG. On the narrower faces are the word Iao and an uncertain standing figure.

A small rectangular prism of limonite in the Seyrig collection (D. 360) has two opposed faces with figure carvings, the other two with inscriptions. One of the figures is Hecate, six-armed, head crowned with modius but indistinct; the engraver could not indicate the three faces clearly. The lowest pair of hands held snakes, the others uncertain linear objects which are known from other specimens to be torches in one pair, daggers in the other. On the opposite face Isis stands to front, an uncertain object in her extended right hand, a torch (or cornucopia) in the left. Beside her at the left stands a short column, perhaps a stylized altar with flame (?) on top. The inscriptions on the other sides, Ζεῦ, ἅγιε and ἀποστρεψίκακε, have been discussed elsewhere (p. 172 f.).

In the University of Michigan collection (D. 361 there is a rectangular prism, perforated and gilded; the gilding is probably recent. The underlying material seems to be either a glass paste or some hard, glossy stone; but since it is exposed only in minute spots it is hard to determine. All four sides of the prism are inscribed, a name to each — Ιαω Σαβαω Μιχαηλ Θωθ. The last word is followed by a carefully cut device . The presence of Thoth along with Judaeo-Christian angel names is noteworthy.

Another curious object is a quadrangular prism of copper which tapers away to a suspension loop at the top, thus resembling a small weight.³⁴ An aberrant type of the cock-headed god is cut on the front. The figure seems to wear a cuirass and kilt, but instead of the usual whip and shield a tall staff or spear seems to be held at each side. In place of the snake legs there is a tall postlike support which gives the whole design the aspect of a trophy. Two uncertain cuttings at the bottom suggest a schematic hint at the two captives that are often bound to the foot of the trophy in coin types; at any rate they are not to be interpreted as serpents. The back is plain, the sides have a few letters, too worn to be read, and the base is adorned with an emblem resembling a candelabrum with five branches.

There is a five-sided steatite bead in the Newell collection, this also wrongly placed among the oriental seals (No. 547). The designs are as follows: A, an object resembling the spear-symbol of Marduk; B, human figure with animal head, probably meant for Set; C, IAW, not recognized by Von der

³⁴ D. 362.

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