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Egyptian Artifacts

Magical Stela – Cippus

This is known as a Magical Stela, or a cippus.

It depicts Horus π“…ƒπ“€­(or Harpokrates, the Greek version of Horus π“…ƒπ“€­) standing on two 𓏻 crocodiles π“…“π“‹΄π“Ž›π“†Œπ“₯ and holding other dangerous animals such as snakes π“‡‹π“‚π“‚‹π“π“†˜π“ͺ and scorpions π“‹΄π“‚‹π“ˆŽπ“π“†«π“ͺ in each hand. The god Bes π“ƒ€π“‹΄π“„œ also appears above Horus’ π“…ƒπ“€­ head 𓁢𓏺. Bes π“ƒ€π“‹΄π“„œ was known to ward off evil and bad luck.

Normally, stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ were used to commemorate the dead so this is almost like a protective amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…† in the form of a stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ. This cippus was used by the living for protection π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ. Since the Old Kingdom, Horus π“…ƒπ“€­ was called upon as a defender against snake or scorpion bites. Placing the cippus on a wound would evoke its magical and healing powers. Cippus stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ like this were usually kept in homes 𓉐𓏺.

However, cippus pieces have also been found in tombs π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰π“ͺ, so we can assume that the Egyptians thought it not only would help protect π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ the living, but the dead too.

Fun fact! The Middle Egyptian word for scorpion is π“‹΄π“‚‹π“ˆŽπ“π“†« which can be pronounced like β€œSerket.” Serket π“‹΄π“‚‹π“ˆŽπ“π“†« was a goddess π“ŠΉπ“ who was represented by a scorpion and she was associated with healing, protection, and magic. Serket π“‹΄π“‚‹π“ˆŽπ“π“†« could also be written like this: π“Šƒπ“‚‹π“ˆŽπ“π“.