Uraeus

The Uraeus is a symbol of ancient Egyptian iconography. The ancient Greek term οὐραῖος ( ouraĩos ), in transcription Uraios, Latinized Uraeus, probably goes back to the ancient Egyptian iaret ( uaret ), which in general with " which rears " is translated. In ancient Egypt, this golden, shown in form of a aufreckenden, flatulent and poison sprayed cobra snake forehead gods as kings ( pharaohs ) is considered apotropaic symbol of protection by uraeus ward off the enemies of his carrier with the scorching breath of his fire breath. In the same property is the symbol usually take the form of Uräenfriesen, at least since the 3rd Dynasty also for the protection of buildings on their facades and in particular on inputs ( such as the Temple of Abu Simbel and the Temple of Kom Ombo house ).

Mythology

The Egyptian sun god Ra had once sent one of his eyes with a contract. When this returned upon completion, it found its place occupied by a nachgewachsenes eye. Re invented the conciliatory solution to raise the third eye of the sun now than unmarried uraeus on his forehead. According to another myth, the Lower Egyptian goddess Wadjet snake had settled in the form of the uraeus on the head of the king. Even the revered lions in This multifaceted goddess Mehit was sometimes identified with the fire -spitting uraeus as the eye of Re.

Origin and development

Wolfhart Westendorf refers to the former role of the uraeus, which was regarded as a pioneer of the sun. She was the transport of the solar disk, which she lifted a day in heaven, continued to move and dropped at night in the Duat, to let them rise again the next morning. Especially at the entrance and exit gates of the Duat, she served as a protective nature against the enemies of the sun god.

In pre-dynastic kingdom of Buto, the uraeus was considered the most important of the snake multiform deities Wadjet (also: Uto ) revered as the sacred animal of the uraeus is considered later. On the other hand, the opinion is also fragmented, the badge versinnbildliche a forelock, as it once was in altlibyschen tribes in fashion. Similarly, Helck want to see in the uraeus one of the rudiments of prehistoric hunter costume, from which the insignia of power of the king had developed - in the case of the uraeus, the lock of hair of the prehistoric hunter was mutated to the animal form of a serpent.

Uraeus tiaras are detectable for the Old Kingdom. These are mainly associated with the sun god and the royal gods Horus and Seth, and finally the king. Only since the Middle Kingdom to the righting Blähkobra than at the crown to wear forehead snake is guaranteed.

Meanings in ancient Egypt

Because of its mythological significance as the fire -breathing eye of the sun god embodies the uraeus at the same time the fire itself whereas the resulting magic and thickness made ​​the reptile as created to provide the protection of the gods, such as the Kings, by interacting with the ascribed fire breath the enemies wards. Thus, the uraeus next scourge, crook and What scepter was the king keeps to effective insignia of his earthly power of God, which hostile, evil or unclean by his sacred person. As such, it is first and foremost protector of the Pharaoh and the relevant gods. In contrast, the uraeus unauthorized gods itself is considered dangerous, almost as hostile, especially since they know how to meet any abuse of their being terrible.