A Variant Type of the Uraeus in the Late Period

The use of the uraeus as a royal symbol dates back to the most ancient representations of the king in ancient Egypt.2 Although it did not appear on every image of a pharaoh, particularly in the early dynasties, it nevertheless was an ubiquitous emblem until well into the period of Roman domination. Although the conformation and markings of the uraeus varied considerably during its three thousand years of use, it almost always took the form of an erect cobra with extended hood. It is apparent that this particular serpent in a striking mode had an innate meaning on the royal brow, in addition to its religious associations. The flaring hood offered a threatening image to the viewer, who surely would have known that the Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) expands its hood only when ready to strike (fig. 1). In this sense, the cobra uraeus could be compared to a mace or a knife as a deadly instrument that illustrated the power of the royal personage and also protected him

Aesthetics · Art · Period (music) · Type (biology) · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Geology · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · History · Paleontology