DOI issue:
Nr. 3
DOI article:Lipińska, Jadwiga: Some problems of the funerary figures of Egyptian God Ptah-Sokaris-Osiris
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17136#0083
ion: The collar wsh. both sides covered witli the net. Inseription: Formuła of Offering writ-
ten for Osiris Tligh-priest Psmtk-nb-phty,'3 Ptolemaic period.
3. No 139946 (Fig. 3). H.— 0,545 m. Painted wood. Coloured as above, also yellowish and
wbite. State of preservation: Crown, beurd and pedestal are Iacking, both sides damaged, ins-
eription pretty illegible. Decoration: The Collar wsh, above the beginning of the inscriptions
two great signs s6J with stars. Inseription: Frontside —the beginning of the Formuła of Off-
ering, backside — the beginning of the ind hr.k formuła. Furlher text is destroyed.
Ptolemaic period.
4. No I9G650 (Fig. 4). H. —0,45 m. Painted wood, coloured as above, but without black
and whitc. State of preservation: Pedestal, beard and upper part of the crown are Iacking.
The paint damaged in many places. No inseription. Dccoration: The collar wsh and painted net.
Ptolemaic period.
5. No 139011 (Fig. 5). H. —0,42 m. Painted-wood. Colours: dark green, pink, black and whi-
te. State of preservation: Pedestal is Iacking (the statuę bad never a crown). Decoration:
Below the collar wsh the central scenę represents the bed of the deceased and two standing
figures beside it; above—deformed shape of winged sun-disc. Lower scenę shows two sitting
deities with animal heads. Below two standing figures. Backside contains two vertical co-
lumns of the "pseudohieroglyphs".14 Roman period, III —IV century A.D.
There is no need to state that except the very interesting religious problems ef those fi-
gures they are representing many other aspeets worth while to be investigated'. They are,
doubtlessly, the objects of the true art. Their sculptural va!ues, proportions and precisidn of
performance are remarkable. The paintings were fine and beautifully coloured, morcover
in spite of their traditional features they are strongly infuenced by the art of the period.
Our figures from the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, particularly the former ones, show the
influence of Greek art.
The statues of Ptah-Sokaris-Osiris show the next similarity to the anthropoid coffins.
We recognize there nearly the same shapes, ornamental patterns, representations and types
of inscriptions. The decorative patterns of our figures have many similaritics to the decora-
tion of the coffins. Thus the sacred emblcms, i.e. sign s6' is the same and is placed iii the
same place as on Pctosiris' coffin of the end of IV cent. B.C.15
It is specially interesting, whether the masks of the statues were the portraits of their
owners, or not. As we know, the masks of anthropoid sarcophagi and coffins were portraits,
13. Kamal, op. cit. No 22002; L.D. Tcxt III. 279 <].; M.L. BuIJ. The Lale Stonc Sarcophagi, Kj<benh»ven, 1953, p. 22/23;
Lieblein, op. cit. No 1343; G. Kminek-Szedlo, Musco Civico di Bologna, Torino, 1895, No 3239. The only known
high-priest of this name is published by Kamal (No 22002). He was a high-prieai of the tempie of Edfu, son of P^—fl,
folfilling the same position, and the Lady of the Ilouse !Ir/y;-ib. It is not certain whether, or not, the priest naoied
on the otela and the one on our statuę is oae and the same per:.oa, but it is probable.
14. This figurę is especially interesting us an objed eoming from very late Roman Period. It has many analogieD with
coffins of this epoeh, i.e. llie same kind of division of decoration is on the coffin ia BottTs: , ,Le casse di mumie",
Studi, V, Firenze, 1958, No 10625. The central representation of the deceased on the bed: cf. Botti op. cit. No 10621,
10625; C. Edgar, Graeco-Koman Coffins. CGC. 1905, pl. XXXII, No 33221. Two deities placed below secm to be similor
to thosc two on the coffin in: Ant>quitt's Egyplienncs appzrtenant a P. Philip, Cctclnguc de la VcnU, 1905. The Icft
figurę is described as —The right figurę c3 ^ . Imitations of hicroglyphic signs are eome-
times found in this period. Cf. Botti op. cit. No 10626, 10627.
15. Exhibited on the ground floor in the Cairo Museum, No 46592; compare also sarcophagi No 6297. 66616, 48861 in the
Graeco-Roman Muscum in AIcxundria.
83
ten for Osiris Tligh-priest Psmtk-nb-phty,'3 Ptolemaic period.
3. No 139946 (Fig. 3). H.— 0,545 m. Painted wood. Coloured as above, also yellowish and
wbite. State of preservation: Crown, beurd and pedestal are Iacking, both sides damaged, ins-
eription pretty illegible. Decoration: The Collar wsh, above the beginning of the inscriptions
two great signs s6J with stars. Inseription: Frontside —the beginning of the Formuła of Off-
ering, backside — the beginning of the ind hr.k formuła. Furlher text is destroyed.
Ptolemaic period.
4. No I9G650 (Fig. 4). H. —0,45 m. Painted wood, coloured as above, but without black
and whitc. State of preservation: Pedestal, beard and upper part of the crown are Iacking.
The paint damaged in many places. No inseription. Dccoration: The collar wsh and painted net.
Ptolemaic period.
5. No 139011 (Fig. 5). H. —0,42 m. Painted-wood. Colours: dark green, pink, black and whi-
te. State of preservation: Pedestal is Iacking (the statuę bad never a crown). Decoration:
Below the collar wsh the central scenę represents the bed of the deceased and two standing
figures beside it; above—deformed shape of winged sun-disc. Lower scenę shows two sitting
deities with animal heads. Below two standing figures. Backside contains two vertical co-
lumns of the "pseudohieroglyphs".14 Roman period, III —IV century A.D.
There is no need to state that except the very interesting religious problems ef those fi-
gures they are representing many other aspeets worth while to be investigated'. They are,
doubtlessly, the objects of the true art. Their sculptural va!ues, proportions and precisidn of
performance are remarkable. The paintings were fine and beautifully coloured, morcover
in spite of their traditional features they are strongly infuenced by the art of the period.
Our figures from the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, particularly the former ones, show the
influence of Greek art.
The statues of Ptah-Sokaris-Osiris show the next similarity to the anthropoid coffins.
We recognize there nearly the same shapes, ornamental patterns, representations and types
of inscriptions. The decorative patterns of our figures have many similaritics to the decora-
tion of the coffins. Thus the sacred emblcms, i.e. sign s6' is the same and is placed iii the
same place as on Pctosiris' coffin of the end of IV cent. B.C.15
It is specially interesting, whether the masks of the statues were the portraits of their
owners, or not. As we know, the masks of anthropoid sarcophagi and coffins were portraits,
13. Kamal, op. cit. No 22002; L.D. Tcxt III. 279 <].; M.L. BuIJ. The Lale Stonc Sarcophagi, Kj<benh»ven, 1953, p. 22/23;
Lieblein, op. cit. No 1343; G. Kminek-Szedlo, Musco Civico di Bologna, Torino, 1895, No 3239. The only known
high-priest of this name is published by Kamal (No 22002). He was a high-prieai of the tempie of Edfu, son of P^—fl,
folfilling the same position, and the Lady of the Ilouse !Ir/y;-ib. It is not certain whether, or not, the priest naoied
on the otela and the one on our statuę is oae and the same per:.oa, but it is probable.
14. This figurę is especially interesting us an objed eoming from very late Roman Period. It has many analogieD with
coffins of this epoeh, i.e. llie same kind of division of decoration is on the coffin ia BottTs: , ,Le casse di mumie",
Studi, V, Firenze, 1958, No 10625. The central representation of the deceased on the bed: cf. Botti op. cit. No 10621,
10625; C. Edgar, Graeco-Koman Coffins. CGC. 1905, pl. XXXII, No 33221. Two deities placed below secm to be similor
to thosc two on the coffin in: Ant>quitt's Egyplienncs appzrtenant a P. Philip, Cctclnguc de la VcnU, 1905. The Icft
figurę is described as —The right figurę c3 ^ . Imitations of hicroglyphic signs are eome-
times found in this period. Cf. Botti op. cit. No 10626, 10627.
15. Exhibited on the ground floor in the Cairo Museum, No 46592; compare also sarcophagi No 6297. 66616, 48861 in the
Graeco-Roman Muscum in AIcxundria.
83