DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4372#0125
109
close beads, and have tails which are fastened round their waist.
But sometimes the offerer appears a person of higher rank ; his
dress is richer, he has a helmet or high cap on his head, in front
of which is a serpent, and above him is an /Ethiopian or com-
mon hawk with extended wings, holding in his claws a sacred
tor, or a palm-branch, and apparently the guardian spirit of the
monarch.
The sceptres of Isis and Osiris are easily to be distinguished :
they are both forked below; but the former is surmounted with
a lotus; the latter, with the head of some animal, cither croco-
dile, hawk, or fox.
Avery common representation of Osiris is the form of a mummy,
the head, arms and phallus of which only are exposed, and
the right arm is lifting up a flagellum as if in the act to strike :—
May this be allowed to depict that energy of the Creator, which
first endued the dark unformed mass of matter with the powers
of sense, of motion, and of generation ? or the great Governor of
the universe, who knoweth all things, all-destructive and all-
creative—or the light of the Sun, the influence of whose rays
dries up the nutritive juices of one part of the world, while it
excites those of the other ?
Three miles North of Esne, at a place called Deir, the remains
of a small Temple seem to mark the site of Aphroditopolis.
Here is another zodiac similar to that at Esne. Being situated
far from any modern habitation, it has been more pillaged by
different Mamaluke Beys who wanted materials for their houses,
but has not at all suffered from smoke or dirt. Osiris Amnion
is the most conspicuous among the deities. The colours of the
dresses are extremely beautiful and well preserved. Here is like-
wise to be seen the destruction of the Briareus at the feet of
Osiris, emblematic either of the duties of a sovereign to punish
the
close beads, and have tails which are fastened round their waist.
But sometimes the offerer appears a person of higher rank ; his
dress is richer, he has a helmet or high cap on his head, in front
of which is a serpent, and above him is an /Ethiopian or com-
mon hawk with extended wings, holding in his claws a sacred
tor, or a palm-branch, and apparently the guardian spirit of the
monarch.
The sceptres of Isis and Osiris are easily to be distinguished :
they are both forked below; but the former is surmounted with
a lotus; the latter, with the head of some animal, cither croco-
dile, hawk, or fox.
Avery common representation of Osiris is the form of a mummy,
the head, arms and phallus of which only are exposed, and
the right arm is lifting up a flagellum as if in the act to strike :—
May this be allowed to depict that energy of the Creator, which
first endued the dark unformed mass of matter with the powers
of sense, of motion, and of generation ? or the great Governor of
the universe, who knoweth all things, all-destructive and all-
creative—or the light of the Sun, the influence of whose rays
dries up the nutritive juices of one part of the world, while it
excites those of the other ?
Three miles North of Esne, at a place called Deir, the remains
of a small Temple seem to mark the site of Aphroditopolis.
Here is another zodiac similar to that at Esne. Being situated
far from any modern habitation, it has been more pillaged by
different Mamaluke Beys who wanted materials for their houses,
but has not at all suffered from smoke or dirt. Osiris Amnion
is the most conspicuous among the deities. The colours of the
dresses are extremely beautiful and well preserved. Here is like-
wise to be seen the destruction of the Briareus at the feet of
Osiris, emblematic either of the duties of a sovereign to punish
the