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Source Description

This dwarf-like, protective deity was very popular in ancient Egypt; amulets in the shape of this god were particularly popular from the Third Intermediate period. The Greek name Pataikos comes from a passage in the writings of Herodotus (ca. 5th century BCE), who used this term to describe a Phoenician protective dwarf-like image. The Egyptian Pataikos is a special manifestation of the creator god Ptah and the dwarf-like appearance symbolizes his magical power. This amulet displays a very special variant of Pataikos representations which links this god to images of the juvenile god Horus standing on crocodiles. Here, Pataikos also stands on two antithetically arranged crocodiles. He has snakes in his hands and a scarab on top of his head. On each of his shoulders was once a falcon, both of which are now broken off. The goddesses Isis and Nephthys are standing at his sides, and at his back another representation of Isis protects the Pataikos figure with her wings. In this special arrangement the magical power of Pataikos is linked to the Horus myth.

Scholar Source Context

Document identity
localId
1655
label
Amulet of Pataikos on Crocodiles
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
6
Source metadata
id
1655
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Amulet of Pataikos on Crocodiles
description
This dwarf-like, protective deity was very popular in ancient Egypt; amulets in the shape of this god were particularly popular from the Third Intermediate period. The Greek name Pataikos comes from a passage in the writings of Herodotus (ca. 5th century BCE), who used this term to describe a Phoenician protective dwarf-like image. The Egyptian Pataikos is a special manifestation of the creator god Ptah and the dwarf-like appearance symbolizes his magical power. This amulet displays a very special variant of Pataikos representations which links this god to images of the juvenile god Horus standing on crocodiles. Here, Pataikos also stands on two antithetically arranged crocodiles. He has snakes in his hands and a scarab on top of his head. On each of his shoulders was once a falcon, both of which are now broken off. The goddesses Isis and Nephthys are standing at his sides, and at his back another representation of Isis protects the Pataikos figure with her wings. In this special arrangement the magical power of Pataikos is linked to the Horus myth.
provenance
Dikran Kelekian, Paris and New York; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1929, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
late 4th-mid 3rd century BCE (early Ptolemaic)
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Ceramics
amulets
figurines
imageCount
6
pageCount
6
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
7.9
height
4.2
depth
2
dimensionsRaw
H: 3 1/8 x W: 1 11/16 x D: 13/16 in. (7.93 x 4.23 x 2.02 cm)
Source extras
cul
Egyptian
dynasty
Ptolemaic Dynasty
med
Egyptian faience with green glaze
creator_ids
6182
collection_ids
EGY
exhibition_ids
10
2172
Page inventory
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1
type
photo
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b6aacb14b31712d0
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no
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no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
77203fd2cce3adf9
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
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type
photo
mediaId
3401d2a1ed29d78c
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
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type
photo
mediaId
27b26bf6ca28f240
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no
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seq
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type
photo
mediaId
138d2bf058656c9c
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no
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no
seq
6
type
photo
mediaId
a3a2f148fef60a04
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no