1
Six guardian and beneficent snakes at Edfu temple
Ahmed KhalafAllah Safina∗
The scope of this paper is limited to the discussion of some lesser known aspects of six snakes at Edfu temple1. I aim with this paper to develop the understanding of these elusive beings through the examination of their nature, roles, names, and epithets. These snakes originally belonged to subordinate deities2 that had a beneficial and protective role with regard to Horus of Behdety and his temple, where they help to reinforce the troops of the temple guardians, providing protection around the temple, driving harmful snakes and reptiles to execution. In this sense, we find engraved on the walls series of ritual scenes
bearing …show more content…
Commentary
(a) %aH, mummy9 or an image of the deceased10. Plural saHw are the embodiment of the ancestor gods from the time of Tanen11. I believe that these snake deities were not Genies12 as E. Chassinat labeled them in his publication “Les Génies bienfaisants du nome
1 For a detailed definition of these demons in ancient Egypt, see LGG,V, 635– 637; G. Hart, A Dictionary of
Egyptian Gods and Goddess, London, 1986, 139; V. Rondot, BIFAO 90 (1990), 322-323-331; G. Daressy,
ASAE 21 (1921) 1; S. Sauneron, BIFAO 64 (1966), 5-6; Pyr. 1265c; A. De Buck, CT, III, 366 a.; VI, 77a;
W. Budge, Book of the Dead, I, 373 (5). H. Altenmüller, ZÄS, 92 (1966), 93; G. Allen, JNES, 8 (1949),353,
n.O; P. Kousoulis, OLA, 150 (2004), 1044. Edfou, V, 11, 2.; V, 104, 2.
2
Edfou, I, 354, 7; IV, 98, 6; VI, 14, 10; VII, 269, 5.
3 P. Montet, Géographie de l’Égypte ancienne, Paris, 1961, II, 37. See also, H. Gauthier, Dictionnaire des
noms géographiques contenus dans les textes hiéroglyphiques, V, 37-38
Six guardian and beneficent snakes at Edfu temple
Ahmed KhalafAllah Safina∗
The scope of this paper is limited to the discussion of some lesser known aspects of six snakes at Edfu temple1. I aim with this paper to develop the understanding of these elusive beings through the examination of their nature, roles, names, and epithets. These snakes originally belonged to subordinate deities2 that had a beneficial and protective role with regard to Horus of Behdety and his temple, where they help to reinforce the troops of the temple guardians, providing protection around the temple, driving harmful snakes and reptiles to execution. In this sense, we find engraved on the walls series of ritual scenes
bearing …show more content…
Commentary
(a) %aH, mummy9 or an image of the deceased10. Plural saHw are the embodiment of the ancestor gods from the time of Tanen11. I believe that these snake deities were not Genies12 as E. Chassinat labeled them in his publication “Les Génies bienfaisants du nome
1 For a detailed definition of these demons in ancient Egypt, see LGG,V, 635– 637; G. Hart, A Dictionary of
Egyptian Gods and Goddess, London, 1986, 139; V. Rondot, BIFAO 90 (1990), 322-323-331; G. Daressy,
ASAE 21 (1921) 1; S. Sauneron, BIFAO 64 (1966), 5-6; Pyr. 1265c; A. De Buck, CT, III, 366 a.; VI, 77a;
W. Budge, Book of the Dead, I, 373 (5). H. Altenmüller, ZÄS, 92 (1966), 93; G. Allen, JNES, 8 (1949),353,
n.O; P. Kousoulis, OLA, 150 (2004), 1044. Edfou, V, 11, 2.; V, 104, 2.
2
Edfou, I, 354, 7; IV, 98, 6; VI, 14, 10; VII, 269, 5.
3 P. Montet, Géographie de l’Égypte ancienne, Paris, 1961, II, 37. See also, H. Gauthier, Dictionnaire des
noms géographiques contenus dans les textes hiéroglyphiques, V, 37-38