Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-18T16:53:22.897Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Figuring out the Anguipede (‘snake-legged god’) and his relation to Judaism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 February 2015

Árpád M. Nagy
Árpád M. Nagy*
Affiliation:
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

So-called magical gems constitute an especially rich body of material evidence for magic and religion in the Roman Empire. They differ from the ordinary run of gems in three respects: in their selection of iconographic types, normally divine images of one sort or another; by their use of magic words and occasionally longer texts, primarily in Greek script; and by their use of magic signs, usually called characteres. At least one of these three elements must be present for a gem to be identifiable as magical. These “Zaubergemmen” form the most easily distinguishable sub-group of the wider class of amuletic gems, that is, engraved stones of talismanic function. The majority of the iconographic schemes appearing on magical gems adhere closely to the classical Graeco-Roman and Egyptian traditions. Others, however, are unique to this class of gems: rare even on other magical objects, they are practically unknown outside this sphere in the whole variety of ancient art.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Roman Archaeology , Volume 15 , 2002 , pp. 159 - 172
Copyright
Copyright © Journal of Roman Archaeology L.L.C. 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Special abbreviations

Barb 1957 Barb, A. A., “Abraxas-Studien,” in Hommages à Walter Deonna (Coll. Latomus 38, 1957) 67–86.Google Scholar
Betz, GMPT Betz, H. D. (ed.), The Greek magical papyri in translation (2nd edn., Chicago 1992).Google Scholar
Bonner 1950 Bonner, C., Studies in magical amulets, chiefly Graeco-Egyptian (Ann Arbor 1950).Google Scholar
DDD van der Toorn, K., Becking, B. and van der Horst, P. W. (edd.), Dictionary of deities and demons in the Bible (2nd edn., Leiden 1999).Google Scholar
Delatte-Derchain 1964 Delatte, A. and Derchain, P., Les intailles magiques gréco-égyptiennes (Bibliothèque Nationale, Cabinet des Médailles; Paris 1964).Google Scholar
Encycl. Relig. Hastings, J. (ed.), Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics (Edinburgh 1908-21).Google Scholar
Goodenough 1953 Goodenough, E.R., Jewish symbols in the Greco-Roman period, vols. I-III (Toronto 1953).Google Scholar
Michel 2001a Michel, S., Bunte Steine – Dunkle Bilder: “Magische Gemmen” (Munich 2001).Google Scholar
Michel 2001b Michel, S., Die magischen Gemmen im Britischen Museum (London 2001).Google Scholar
PGM Preisendanz, K. and Henrichs, A., Papyri Graecae Magicae (2nd edn., Stuttgart 1973–1974).Google Scholar
Philipp 1986 Philipp, H., Mira et magica. Gemmen im Ägyptischen Museum der Staatlichen Museen, Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin-Charlottenburg (Mainz 1986).Google Scholar
Post 1979 Post, P., “Le génie anquipède alectorocéphale: une divinité magique solaire,” Bijdragen. Tijdschrift voor Filosofie en Theologie 40 (1979) 173–210.Google Scholar
Schwartz 1979 Schwartz, F. M. and Schwartz, J. H., “Engraved gems in the collection of the American Numismatic Society: 1. Ancient magical amulets”, ANSMN 24 (1979) 149–97.Google Scholar
Smith 1996 Cohen, S. J. D. (ed.), Studies in the cult of Yahweh by Morton Smith (Leiden 1996).Google Scholar
van der Toorn 1997 van der Toorn, K. (ed.), The image and the book. Iconic cults, aniconism, and the rise of book religion in Israel and the Ancient Near East (Leuven 1997).Google Scholar
Zwierlein-Diehl 1991 Zwierlein-Diehl, E., Die antiken Gemmen des Kunsthistorischen Museums in Wien ΙII (Munich 1991).Google Scholar
Zwierlein-Diehl 1992 Zwierlein-Diehl, E., Magische Amulette und andere Gemmen des Instituts für Altertumskunde der Universität zu Köln (Papyrologica Coloniensia 20, Opladen 1992).Google Scholar