her hand, as though it were entrusted to her charge. Her hieroglyphic consists of a shield crossed by two arrows, which she also bears on her head; but I am ignorant of her name and office. She is, perhaps, the abstract idea of "protection" or "defence." A CHARACTER OF ISIS, THE Defender? 99 The Goddess here represented is probably one of the characters of Isis, as the protecting Deity who averts misfortunes from mankind. Her hieroglyphic legend signifies "defender," or "avenger,' and in the first line is the phonetic name of "Isis." She holds the ostrich feather, the emblem of truth and justice, and her position with outspread wings is similar to that of Isis when protecting her husband Osiris. (Pl. 66. Part 2.) Of this Deity I have been unable to ascertain the name and office; but from his having an emblem of strength as his hieroglyphic, which he also bears upon his head, he may be one of the forms of Gom, the Egyptian Hercules. NEHIMEOU? NOHEMAO? (Pl. 66. Part 3.) The name of this Goddess appears to read Nehimeou, Nehimaoee, or Nohemao. She is styled "Mistress of the Eight Regions of the Land, Domina trix of Tentyris," from which place her figure and hieroglyphics are copied. She is called "daughter of the Sun." Her head-dress consists of a shrine, from which water plants are sometimes represented No. 462. to rise, her head being covered by the body and wings of a vulture. In her hand she holds the usual sceptre of the Goddesses. At the quarries of the Troici Lapidis Mons, she occurs as the second member of a triad composed of Thoth, this Goddess, and Horus (or Aroeris). Mention is also made of the Goddess Merte or Milt. MELSIGOR, OR MERSOKAR? (Pl. 67. Part 1.) This Goddess is from one of the tombs of the Kings at Thebes. Her name appears to read Melsigor, or Mersokar, and she is styled Ruler of the West, or of Amenti, "the Lower Regions." She wears the globe and horns of Athor, in common with many other Goddesses; and I have found an instance of her under the form of a winged asp, with the cap of the Lower Country, having the same appearance as the Genius of Lower Egypt, and opposed in like manner to Eilethyia. MERTE? OR MILT? (Pl. 67. Part 2.) This Goddess is frequently met with in the oldest temples, where she always accompanies the King, when represented running with a vase and the flagellum of Osiris in his hands, amidst various emblems. Her name appears to be Milt, or Merte. In the Lower Regions, she has sometimes the united heads of a lion and crocodile, with the globe of Rê and the two long feathers of Amun; but this figure is of rare occurrence, and I believe only in funeral subjects, among the Genii or minor Deities connected with the dead. She usually bears on her head a cluster of the northern water plants, upon a cap terminating in a peculiar form at the back; from which it might seem that she was more particularly connected with the Lower Country, those water plants being emblematic of that part of Egypt. Sometimes, however, she has those of Upper Egypt; but the more frequent assumption of the former sufficiently proves that her name was not Marés *, one of the appellations of the Thebaïd. (Pl. 67. Part 3.) The name of this Deity is uncertain. I had supposed her to represent Phut, or Libya; but this opinion does not seem to be supported by subsequent observations. She was one of the contemplar Deities of Tentyris; and occurs also at Thebes; but at Esneh her hieroglyphics are totally different, or may, indeed, be of another Goddess, who has assumed her form and attributes. * Whence the modern Egyptian name Merées, or Mereesee, given to the south wind. (Pl. 68. Part 1.) The Snake-headed God seems to be related to Horus. His figure seldom occurs. This is from Dendera. I have seen some bronzes of the same God; one of which is in the possession of Miss Rogers, and apparently not of late date. A CHARACTER OF OSIRIS? (Pl. 68. Part 2.) This Deity is probably one of the characters of Osiris. His name is sometimes followed by the emblem of Stability, sometimes by that of Goodness, both belonging to Osiris, whose head-dress he wears. I have only met with him at Philæ, and Dendoor, in sculptures of a Ptolemaïc or Roman period. (Pl. 68. Part 3.) It This figure has no hieroglyphics over it. may perhaps be one of the forms of Amun-re, being found at Thebes. RE-TO? RITHO. (Pl. 68. Part 4.) The name of this Goddess is composed of " Re," "the Sun," and "To," "the World." She is called "Chief of the Gods," and occurs in the oldest temples, wearing the globe and horns of Athor. At Tuot (Tuphium) and Hermonthis, she is the second member of the triad, of which Mandoo is the principal Divinity. RANPO, RASPO? or RATPO? GOD OF WAR. The name of this God appears to be Ranpo: his form is very peculiar, and from his attributes he claims the title of God of War. He is some times represented with a spear in his hand; sometimes bearing in his left hand a spear and shield, while with the other he wields a battle-axe, as if in the act of striking: a quiver full of arrows being suspended at his back.* He wears the helmet or crown of the Upper Country, in front of which projects, in lieu of the usual asp, the head of an oryx, a gazelle, or a goat. He sometimes occurs with a Goddess, who, standing on a lion, or on two crocodiles, holds out towards him two emblems resembling snakes with one hand, and with the other a bundle of lotus flowers, apparently as an offering to the God Khem.† Connected with this group are figures in the act of fighting, which would imply that the subject was emblematic of war. It may reasonably be supposed that the Egyptian Mars did not hold a very high rank in their Pantheon. His character was not connected with the operations of the Deity; nor did a God of War present any abstract notion of a divine attribute, unless it were as the avenging power. This, indeed, appears, as already stated, to have been represented by Mandoo ‡, in which character he probably answered to the Mars Ultor of Rome, and to the Apns mentioned by Hermapion in his inscription translated from the Obelisk of Remeses. Ranpo occurs on tablets, but not in any of the temples of Egypt. * Vide Plate 69. fig. 1. + Plate 69. fig. 3. See the subject in the British Museum. Vide suprà, p. 34. |
