4237 – Gnostic Charm Harpocrates
- Physical description:
- A bronze charm or amulet, double sided, engraved (in the manner of a seal) with figures, apparently Deities. The engraved section is smaller on one side, and more worn, but depicts an animal-headed figure with raised arms. The other side is still very crisp, and depicts a human-like figure, seated, engaged in lively conversation with an ithyphallic, furry, animal-headed figure. Gnostic, c. 2nd - 3rd century AD.
- Museum classification:
- Protection
- Size:
- 33 x 28 x 8
- Information:
The human-like figure is Harpocrates, the God of Secrets in Ptolomeic Egypt. He is seated on a lotus. The Being he is conversing with is the Egyptian Deity Thoth, in the shape of a cynocephalus (dog-headed being) or baboon. The figure on the other side is also cynocephalic, and may represent the Egyptian Deity Bes.A Certificate of Authenticity is in the Object Store filing cabinet, together with other explanatory documentation.
- Resource:
- Object
- Materials:
- Bronze
- Copyright ownership:
- MWM
The human-like figure is Harpocrates, the God of Secrets in Ptolomeic Egypt. He is seated on a lotus. The Being he is conversing with is the Egyptian Deity Thoth, in the shape of a cynocephalus (dog-headed being) or baboon. The figure on the other side is also cynocephalic, and may represent the Egyptian Deity Bes.
A Certificate of Authenticity is in the Object Store filing cabinet, together with other explanatory documentation.