June 11, 2010
Posted in Friday Findings
at 11:27 am
by Shefyt
When I saw this photo, all I could think was, I want to stand on those stones, I want to touch the water and the grass, I want to feel the wind on my face and know that I’m in the Delta, where my Mother’s worship was born, where the people once sailed in joyous procession for Her, the lady of the land, the waters, and the sun.
From the Das Digitale Schott-Archiv, an archive of photos by the German egyptologist Siegfried Schott (1897-1971).
Dua Bast! Nekhtet!
Permalink
June 4, 2010
Posted in Friday Findings, Netjeru
at 11:22 am
by Shefyt
Speaking of various forms of Heru, I love this T-shirt. (It’s not actually a new find; I wore mine to Pantheacon earlier this year. But I thought it was worth sharing.)
Permalink
May 28, 2010
Posted in Friday Findings, Netjeru
at 6:45 pm
by Shefyt
In the vein of this morning’s post, here’s an interesting piece: a menat counterpoise crowned with the heads of two Gods, one a lion and the other a man wearing plumes. (A menat, for those who might not know, is a necklace of multiple strands of beads, which can either be worn normally or carried in the hands and shaken as a musical instrument. The counterpoise is attached to the back of the necklace, to help it lie properly on the wearer’s neck and shoulders, or to serve as a handle when it’s being played.) The two heads are unusual, in my experience; more typically you’ll see a single head in profile, usually either a lion Goddess or Hethert. Here, the two heads are probably Tefnut and Shu, or Mehyt and Anhur. The body of the counterpoise shows full figures of the two Gods facing each other and holding a single papyrus stalk between them — a beautifully symbolic image, as the papyrus represents the unfurling greenness of the world, here depicted either as the gift of the two deities or as the product of their union, or perhaps as both.
There are some other nice pieces on the site where I found this one, which is a review of a Sotheby auction of Egyptian antiquities (click on the picture to visit it). About halfway down the page there are several lion Goddesses, including a lion-headed Wadjet (more commonly depicted as a cobra), and a little unidentified Goddess seated in a pose typically used for the Goddess Ma’at. It’s only a guess on my part, but the latter might represent Tefnut, who sometimes is associated with Ma’at. There are some very fine Heru and Wesir statues as well.
Dua Tefnut! Dua Shu! Nekhtet!
Permalink
May 14, 2010
Posted in Friday Findings
at 2:50 pm
by Shefyt
I think that this might possibly be one of the most beautiful Sekhmet faces ever. (Click on the picture to see it on its home site, the Virtual Egyptian Museum, and be sure to look at the other views of the piece as well.) This bronze from the Eighteenth Dynasty is so expressive, its features so fine and tender, almost wistful, it melts me every time I see it.
Dua Sekhmet — hail and praise to You!
Edited to add: In case clicking on the picture takes you to a page other than the Sekhmet figure, select “Full Collection” if it isn’t already highlighted, click on “By God,” then from the “Jump to…” pop-up menu select “Sakhmet.” The figure is “Bronze of Sakhmet seated, early Dyn. 18.” (The coding on the Museum site makes direct linking tricky.)
Permalink
May 7, 2010
Posted in Friday Findings, Netjeru
at 12:25 pm
by Shefyt
I just found something pretty, and it’s a Friday, so I thought I would try to revive my idea of posting “Friday Findings” here.
The painting is Hathor Redux by NibbleKat, and I love the delicacy of it, the graceful turn of Her head, the subtle wash of colors. Those ears are wonderful, too!
It’s a revision of the artist’s earlier Hathor painting, which I actually like a lot as well, even though the artist wasn’t satisfied with it. In the original painting, there’s a more earthy, sensual quality to Her, less serene and dreamy than this newer one. Both versions are lovely — pick your favorite flavor of Hethert!
Permalink
October 23, 2009
Posted in Friday Findings
at 12:11 pm
by Shefyt
This is an interesting piece. The museum’s Web page says that it’s a triad including Bast, while the label in the photo calls it “Seated Figures of Bast.” Is it Bast and two other lionness-headed Goddesses? And if so, who are They? Or is it supposed to be three different manifestations of Bast? Or, since three in Kemetic thought is the number of indefinite multiplicity, was this piece intended to signify Bast in all Her forms? Mysteries, mysteries….
(Click the image to go to the museum’s site, where you can view a larger version of the photo.)
Permalink
