Kasia Szpakowska will be giving a presentation at the 65th Annual Meeting of the American Research Center in Egypt (the talk is currently scheduled for Sunday, April 6th)
Inscribed Clay Cobra Figurines of Abydos: Finally Unhooded
Over 700 clay figurines of rearing cobras have been found in Late Bronze Age settlements and forts in Egypt and along the Mediterranean Coast: nearly all are un-inscribed. However, six unfired mud cobras from Abydos feature cursive hieroglyphic inscriptions that are still legible. These magical texts provide clues to their use and indeed may provide an identity for those beings whose essence was channelled through the figurines. While the Abydene figurines differ from the others in terms of their material, size, and their context (temple vs. domestic), their essential characteristics are strikingly similar. Their inscriptions suggest that they represent a local manifestation of a long tradition essentially based on the fundamental belief and premise that the ultimate weapon for defense against demonic agents of chaos was the uraeus. Because they are found with figurines of Osiris, rams, and vultures, they may also play a role in the realm of temple rituals. This interpretation also serves to draw attention to the fuzziness of the boundary that separates “temple” practices from “private.”
The individual variation apparent in their paleography (no two are precisely the same) allows them to be interpreted as productions of workshops as well—though the small numbers limit the extent to which firm conclusions can be drawn. This presentation will offer translations, interpretations, and analyses of these tantalizing texts.
- Clay cobra from Abydos at Penn Museum
Picked one where the texts are not readily visible! Come to the talk to hear more!
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