Gods on small things

Egyptian monumental iconography on late antique magical gems and the Greek and Demotic magical papyri

Bibliographic Data

ID4777565
AuthorsNick West (University of Reading, corresponding author)
Year2011
Volume86
Issue86
Pages135-166
Publication date2011-10-30
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePallas (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0031-0387 • E-ISSN: 2272-7639
PublisherOpenEdition (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.4000/pallas.2130
OpenAlexW298943890
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited17

Ancient Egyptian religious imagery—ranging from Horus and Seth contending for the throne of the kingdom to Anubis in the act of embalming the deceased—is well known from Egyptian temples, tomb walls, and ubiquitous cippi. Less well known but equally fascinating are the miniature representations of these images engraved on small magical gems produced with a personal function in mind. How exactly did iconography from Pharaonic Egyptian tradition make its way from the walls of temples and tombs onto magical gems used by individuals in Late Antiquity? This chapter is a presentation of comparative material from the Greek and Demotic magical papyri and sets the imagery on the gems in the context of the Graeco-Egyptian ritual tradition. It entails an examination of the relationship between the gems and the papyri, in the case of Egyptian influenced iconography, and a consideration of the likely agents of transmission for the traditional Egyptian monumental iconography, which may be found on both the magical gems and papyri

Afterlife · Ancient history · Antique · Archaeology · Art · Art history · Context (archaeology · Embalming · Iconography · Literature · Throne · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Classical Antiquity Studies · Classics · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · History

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