Egyptian belief and modern thought / by James Bonwick.

  • James Bonwick
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Egyptian belief and modern thought / by James Bonwick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fourth or Pyramid dynasty. Anoukis of Elephantine, is a goddess whose head is only a sheaf of corn spread out. Of her Mariette Bey says : “ I believe this is of the sixth dynasty.” S'chon, son of the sun, dates from the fifth dynasty. But there is this inscription to a god on a monu- ment of Cephren, fourth dynasty, “ Hor, strong hearted, the god Hor, great god, lord of diadems.” Hor is hawk- headed. Among the gods found on an altar of the sixth dynasty, B.C. 3500, are the following ; Osiris, Anubis, Horus, Athor, Bast, Ra, Taour, Kartes, Ptah, Set, Isis, Khem, Nephthys, Shu, Tephnu, Seb, Nout, Thoth, Satemi, Turn, Khepera, Kheper, Sabak, and the Scarabeus. Those who fancy the minor gods are but genii, or guar- dian spirits, compare them with the saints of more modern days. Formerly the elements were supposed to be under their control, and were addressed in prayer accordingly. It is at least a singular fact, brought forward by Rouge in a communication to a learned society in Paris, that, during the third and fourth centuries, the period of so called primitive Christianity—but by no means synonymous with the Christianity of the Gospels—the Christians of Egypt venerated a large number of patron saints. The survival of ancient ideas may be imagined from the following selec- tion of our own times :— Agatha, for nurses ; Francis, for literaiy men ; Felicitas, for children; Cecilia, for musicians ; Gregory, for literature; Julian, for pilgrims; Cosmas and Damien, for philosophers; Barbara, for captives; Winifred, for virgins; Sylvester and Hubert, for woodmen or hunters; Thomas, for di- vines ; Luke, for printers; Florian, against fire ; Eloy, for smiths ; Wilfred, for bakers ; Joseph, for carpenters; Ar- nold, for millers ; Yves, for lawyers; Mathurin, for fools ; Anne, for lost property ; Osyth, for women who have lost