Anra scarab

Anra scarabs are scarab impression seals from the Second Intermediate Period found in the Levant, Egypt, and Nubia.[1] Anra scarabs are identified by an undeciphered sequence of Egyptian hieroglyphs which appear on the base of the scarab which always include the symbols ̔ , n and r.




ʿ-n-r-ʿ
anra
Era: 2nd Intermediate Period
(1650–1550 BC)
Egyptian hieroglyphs

Anra scarabs have been found amongst precious objects such as gold, gemstones and weapons at a higher rate than other scarabs found in tombs.[2]: 275, 268  They have been discovered in palaces, temples, sanctuaries and residences of high ranking officials.[2] Given that anra scarabs have overwhelmingly been found in Palestine (~70%), It could suggest it was marketed specifically by the 15th Dynasty for the Canaanite market.[3]: 277 

The scarabs have tentatively been associated with the gods El and Ra, who were identified with each other in Ramesside Period.

Meaning

Whilst some consider the anra sequence to be nonsense and random,[4]: 18  others consider the sequence to have a more specific meaning.[5] The sequence would have been considered important as it was included on the royal name scarabs of the pharaoh Senusret I and on a cylinder seal of Hyksos king Khyan. It was also reused by Ramesses II.[6]

Religious
Canaanite scarab with nswt-bjt and ankh symbols that border the sequence in a cartouche
Hyksos-era anra sequence bordered by egyptian symbols
Anra sequence with supplementary symbols

Richards proposed that the added ḥtp symbol to the anra sequence equates to the Canaanite deity El. If the name on the scarab equates to El, the head deity(s) of the North West Semitic pantheon, this would explain the popularity of the seal in Palestine.[7] As the anra + ḥtp sequence scarabs were only found in Palestine, it could be concluded that the scarabs were deliberately marketed for the Canaanites. It could be argued that by utilizing the main deity of the Canaanites of the time in scarabs, it was indicating a symbiosis of cultures and influences from both countries.[2] As the princes of Byblos adopted Egyptian titles and the use of Egyptian symbols permeated Syrian gylptic, the use of El by the Egyptians would not seem out of place if considered at a time of heightened socio-political ties. The Canaanites often incorporated Egyptian iconography into their own designs, but in such a manner to suggest that they understood what they were using.[8]

It has been suggested that when the inscriptions are presented in their full, unshortened form, it equates to the god Ra. El is equated to Ra, and they are identified as one and the same in the Ramesside Period.[9]: 10–11 

Secret

Schulman interprets the sequence as texts written in a secret, enigmatic manner, comprehesible only to the initiate, which served to increase and enhance the potency of the charm.[10][11]

Protection

It has been put forward that the inscriptions are associated with the "abracadabra" magical words that exist in Egyptian magical texts.[12] Murray argued that the skill and subsequent cost of producing anra scarabs would not have been spent haphazardly on ignorant copies of misunderstood inscriptions, and must have been important and relayed some meaning to the wearer.[13] She concluded that this was intended for the magical protection of the royal name. Due to asscociations with royal emblems (75% of all anra scarabs are associated with signs and symbols of Egyptian royalty), it could seem probable that these scarabs were intended to commerate "the solemn ceremony of the giving of the Re-name to the king, and to protect the name where given."[13][2]

Good luck

Ben-Tor argues that the anra sequence did not have a specific meaning per se, but was rather treated as a generic group of good luck symbols with Egyptian prestige value.[14]

Blessing

The anra sequence could have its origins in the Neferzeichen (royal power or blessing) patterns of the Middle Kingdom.[15][1]: 26 

Funerary

Some scholars consider the anra scarabs were used only for its amuletic qualities, and that the seals found in Palestine were an adapted Canaanite form of a Egyptian funerary custom, transmitted through Asiatics living in the Nile Delta.[16]: 11 

Location

Anra scarabs have been found at archaeological sites throughout the Levant, Egypt and Nubia. Notable sites include: Ras Shamra, Byblos, Beth-shan, Pella, Memphis, Shechem, Gezer, Shiloh, Amman, Gerar, Tell El-Dab'a, Esna, Debeira, Mirgissa, Jericho and Rishon.[2]: 299 

In Egypt and Nubia, the anra scarabs that have been found stay closer to the original three sign sequence without the supplementary Egyptian iconography more prevalent in the Levant.[17]

See also

References
  1. Richards, Fiona (1998). The Anra scarab : an archaeological and historical approach. p. 209. doi:10.30861/9781841712178. hdl:1842/26878. ISBN 9781841712178. S2CID 127185087.
  2. Richards, Fiona V. (1998). The Anra scarab: an archaeological and historical approach. p. 277. doi:10.30861/9781841712178. hdl:1842/26878. ISBN 9781841712178. S2CID 127185087.
  3. Richards, Fiona V. (1998). The Anra scarab: an archaeological and historical approach. p. 298. doi:10.30861/9781841712178. hdl:1842/26878. ISBN 9781841712178. S2CID 127185087. Seventy percent of all Anra scarabs were found in Palestine, it would appear that this scarab was marked specifically by the 15th dynasty for the Palestinian market
  4. Giveon, Raphael (1985). Egyptian scarabs from Western Asia from the collections of the British Museum. Göttingen: Universitätsverlag, Freiburg (CH). ISBN 3-72780-332-0.
  5. Richards, Fiona V. (1992). Scarab Seals from a Middle to Late Bronze Age Tomb at Pella in Jordan. Saint-Paul. ISBN 978-3-525-53751-0.
  6. Ben-Tor, Daphna (2017). "Ramesside Scarabs Simulating Middle Bronze Age Canaanite Prototypes". Ägypten und Levante / Egypt and the Levant. 27: 195–218. doi:10.1553/AEundL27s195. ISSN 1015-5104. JSTOR 26524901.
  7. Jáuregui, Miguel Herrero de; Cristóbal, Ana Isabel Jiménez San; Martínez, Eugenio R. Luján; Hernández, Raquel Martín; Álvarez, Marco Antonio Santamaría; Tovar, Sofía Torallas (2011-12-08). Tracing Orpheus: Studies of Orphic Fragments. Walter de Gruyter. p. 100. ISBN 978-3-11-026053-3.
  8. Brummett, Palmira Johnson; Edgar, Robert R.; Hackett, Neil J.; Jewsbury, George F.; Taylor, Alastair M. (2002). Civilization Past & Present. Longman. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-321-09090-4.
  9. Pritchard, James B., ed. (1955). Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (2 ed.). Princeton: Princeton University Press.
  10. Schulman, Alan R. (1975). "The Ossimo Scarab Reconsidered". Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt. 12: 15–18. doi:10.2307/40000004. ISSN 0065-9991. JSTOR 40000004.
  11. SCHULMAN, ALAN R. (1978). "THE KING'S SON IN THE WÂDI NAṬRŪN". The Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists. 15 (1/2): 103–113. ISSN 0003-1186. JSTOR 24518760.
  12. Schenkel, Wolfgang (1980). "Hornung, Erik u. Elisabeth Staehelin, Skarabäen und andere Siegelamulette aus Basler Sammlungen, Mainz 1976". Orientalistische Literaturzeitung. doi:10.11588/propylaeumdok.00003370. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  13. Murray, M. A. (1949-10-01). "Some Canaanite Scarabs". Palestine Exploration Quarterly. 81 (2): 96. doi:10.1179/peq.1949.81.2.92. ISSN 0031-0328.
  14. Ben-Tor, Daphna (2009-01-01). "Pseudo hieroglyphs on Canaanite scarabs". Non-Textual Marking Systems, Writing and Pseudo Script: 82.
  15. Ameri, Marta; Costello, Sarah Kielt; Jamison, Gregg; Scott, Sarah Jarmer (2018-05-03). Seals and Sealing in the Ancient World: Case Studies from the Near East, Egypt, the Aegean, and South Asia. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-17351-3.
  16. Ben-Tor, Daphna (1994). "The Historical Implications of Middle Kingdom Scarabs Found in Palestine Bearing Private Names and Titles of Officials". BASOR. 294 (294): 7–22. doi:10.2307/1357151. JSTOR 1357151. S2CID 163810843.
  17. Richards 1996 p. 167
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.