Who Is this Serpent Pharaoh?

I have been posting some of the more enigmatic items in my antiquities collection...and this is certainly one of them. I am looking for help in identifying the subject depicted in this hieroglyphic fragment.








The fragment is possibly limestone, 2x3 inches and depicts a snake or serpent wearing the twin crowns of Egypt.
It has been authenticated as genuine from the auction house. Unfortunately, it has had a hole drilled into it at sometime in the past to, I assume, be worn as a talisman or amulet.

I have ruled out Set (perhaps in error)...as it is depicted as wearing the crowns of both upper, as well as lower Egypt.

Could this be a figurative (or even literal depiction of an actual lost or unknown ruler of ancient Egypt?

All thoughts and information are welcomed.

reply to post by IAMTAT


Only one I can think of is Apep/Apophis

Also, I only see it wearing one crown

reply to post by mr10k

Interesting, but he was mythological and I cannot find any representations of him as Pharaoh...wearing both Egyptian crowns.

I don't see a crown; but, I DO see an alligator or crocodile with teeth and two forelegs placed oddly though still a better artist than me.

reply to post by Trexter Ziam

I think what looks like a leg, may actually be the false beard worn by Pharaohs.

What I see is a serpent with a forked tongue. At first it looked like possible front legs...but on closer inspection it was a tongue. jmoho

I can't help but wonder if this is an actual ancient depiction of 'The Serpent King'...meaning Thoth...as serpent usually meant one of The Ancient Wise Ones.

Originally posted by IAMTAT
reply to post by Trexter Ziam

 

I think what looks like a leg, may actually be the false beard worn by Pharaohs.

edit on 17-12-2011 by IAMTAT because: (no reason given)

Then why does it have two false beards walking in tandem? Thank you!

The answer is Sorbek.

www.touregypt.net...

en.wikipedia.org...

sorta looks like nehebkau maybe

reply to post by Parta


Both Sobek and Nehebkau might be possibilities, although Sobek was depicted with an uraeus, I can't find him wearing the actual two crowns of Pharaohship over Egypt.

I'm sure the OP has/knows this stuff ... but, I put this URL here so others can keep up with the OP's specialty.

buffaloah.com...

reply to post by Trexter Ziam

Thank you, Trexter Ziam...the link you sent was very helpful.

Quote from:
buffaloah.com...

"Pschent / Double Crown
(PA skent, pskent)

The pharaoh was "King of Upper and Lower Egypt."

This double kingship was expressed in the Pschent, the double crown combining
1. The Red Crown of Lower Egypt (Deshret) and
2. The White Crown of Upper Egypt (Hedjet).

The Red Crown of Lower Egypt, known as the deshret, was a round, flat-topped hat that extended down the back of the neck and had a tall section that projected upward from the back side. From the base of the projection a thin reed curled up and forward, ending in a spiral.

The White Crown of Upper Egypt, known as the hedjet, was a white helmet that was shaped much like half a football with a stretched out, rounded end. It also had a coiled uraeus, or sacred hooded cobra, just above the forehead."

I love free market jewelry !

reply to post by Metaphysic

Funny. But I'm afraid, untrue. This piece has been authenticated as genuine.

Probably Amaunet (goddess) and you can see something similar with the double crown for a deity going on in this amulet of Mut: (Faience)

I've seen pictures of other amulets of her. Depiction of her in her snake head form is fairly unusual, since she's a minor goddess. Nice little piece, though. Is it faience?

You can also see her in the top picture of a collection of amulets here on Crystallinks.

reply to post by Byrd

Thanks Byrd. I think you've found a good candidate...So Amaunet would be the feminine version of Amun?

Originally posted by IAMTAT
reply to post by Parta

 

Both Sobek and Nehebkau might be possibilities, although Sobek was depicted with an uraeus, I can't find him wearing the actual two crowns of Pharaohship over Egypt.

sobek is nehebkaus dad [the good snake renenutet is his mom]. geb might also his father. faulkner says he is a form of re. he guards the entrance to the underworld and devours souls and protects the pharaoh. he has a very distinctive head and neck usually.

Originally posted by IAMTAT
reply to post by Byrd

 

Thanks Byrd. I think you've found a good candidate...So Amaunet would be the feminine version of Amun?

No, she's one of the Ogodad and is Amun's consort. My book (Amulets of Ancient Egypt by Carol Andrews) doesn't have a picture of her though it references her and has an amulet of Nekhbau -- however Nekhbau is shown with the nemes headdress and not the double crown. In my references, Amanuet's the only one with the double crown.

...and after seeing a few more images, I'm going to change my opinion (see below).

The one thing that is throwing me off is the "leg" sculpting.

I did (just now) trip across a depiction of Nehebkau with legs and a snake body (basically a snake with human legs and feet.) While I am not seeing Egyptian images of Nehebkau with the double crown, (only the Atef Crown or uncrowned), it's actually not UNlikely.

The Andrews book has some nice images of Nehebkau, including several that appear on the Internet at museum sites. Andrews says he was invoked in magic rituals against snake bite, and the ancient Egyptians had LOTS of amulets against snakes and crocodiles (in particular.) Having this piece as an amulet and charmed (magically empowered) to protect the owner from snakebite does make perfect sense. They also buried these anti-snakebite amulets with the mummies... my "wild guess" is that this probably came from excavating a grave (it's a nice carving, indicating the owner would have been relatively wealthy; poor people couldn't have afforded something that nicely carved).

Here's some of what Andrews has to say about Nehebkau (I believe the Pyramid Texts here refer to those from the tomb of Unas and not some of the later ones)

...mentioned as early as the Pyramid Texts, symbolized invincible living power and became identified with the Atum...first found in non-royal burials from the Third Intermediate Period
Andrews C (1994) Amulets of Ancient Egypt (University of Texas Press, Austin), p 26