Miniature cippus of Horus (magical stela)

Unknown

332–30 B.C. · Cupreous metal · Egyptian Art

This very small cippus is, unusually, made of cupreous metal. The front scene shows the child Horus standing on crocodiles and holding a snake and an oryx on the left and a lion and a scorpion on the right. At the top of the cippus is a Bes-head. On the reverse is an upper register depicting a falcon standing on an oryx, Thoth seated wearing the atef crown, and a seated goddess and god. Below that are five lines of inscription giving a spell familiar from magical stelae: "welcome god son of god, welcome heir son of the heir, welcome steer son of the steer born of the body of god, welcome Horus brought forth by Osiris whom Isis bore......" The signs are somewhat garbled, and on the sides of the stela actually make no obvious sense. It seems likely such a small stela was used like an amulet for its magical protection rather than being used to impart its magic to water poured over it for drinking. A roughness at the top could be the trace of an attachment. It is noticeable that the relief figures are indistinct, possibly partly because the stela image was rubbed.

Artist

Unknown

Date

332–30 B.C.

Medium

Cupreous metal

Department

Egyptian Art

Credit line

Gift of Lily S. Place, 1923