Griffin (egyptian mythology)

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Griffin in hieroglyphics
S29 I9
D21

Sefer / Sefre / Seferer / Sefrer
Sfr
Greif

"Greif" ( ancient Egyptian Sefer, Sefre, Seferer, Sefrer; also Achech, Teschtesch; demotic Sereref, Serref ) is the name of a mythical creature in ancient Egyptian mythology , which, among other things, was an integral part of the two-dog range of the predynastic era Image program was.

Representations

Several types of the griffin are known from ancient Egypt . Until the beginning of the New Kingdom , non-Egyptian influences can be excluded. Assumptions that iconographic elements of cylinder seals from Mesopotamia or Sumer found their way into ancient Egyptian representations have not been confirmed. There the griffin - possibly the mythological predecessor of the Anzu - was first documented as an eagle-like being in the glyptics of the Djemdet-Nasr period ( Uruk III : around 3050–2850 BC), while the ancient Egyptian griffin at the latest in images of the Naqada II culture (3500-3200 BC) appeared.

Early Dynastic Period (3100 BC) to the Hyksos (1532 BC)

The early dynastic griffin had predator-like features of a vulture with comb-like wings on the center of the back. In the Middle Kingdom a similar shape with a flat head developed; additionally with panther-like fur , human head between the wings and collar. His essence was geared, among other things, to averting demons and evil acts. The griffin of the Middle Kingdom also appeared on magic knives and thus assumed the first protective functions.

In the further course of the Middle Kingdom, the griffin was given a new look by a falcon head , similar to the god Horus . During the foreign rule by the Hyksos , his images were often seen in connection with the knockdown of the Nubian or Asian enemies. The griffin seems to have been elevated to the status of the “heraldic animal of the king ( Pharaoh )” in this epoch , as it now often appeared on official documents.

New Kingdom up to Greco-Roman times

In the 18th Dynasty , a new iconographic type of griffin with non-Egyptian influences found its way into ancient Egyptian mythology. The head, which again resembled a vulture, had slimmer proportions in combination with horse-like legs, which may have come from the Syrian region. The representation of the head corresponded to a symbiosis of the early dynastic griffin with the Seth animal . A tuft of curls was attached to his head. The artistic elaboration of the zigzag pattern on the wings was taken from Crete . The griffin received a medallion as a further accessory .

In the Ptolemaic period , the griffin appeared as a winged hybrid being in combination with the sun's eye . It is described accordingly in the demotic fable The Seer and the Listener :

"Its beak is that of a falcon , its eyes that of a human, its limbs those of a lion , its ears those of a fish , its tail that of a snake ."

- Myth of the sun's eye

Mythological connections

The griffin is documented very early on as a mythological hunting animal that was active in the desert . Alternatively, the griffin acted in its appearance as a protective sun eye, which was used by the sun god Re as retaliation:

“A griffin had scented the lion and catfish and tore them to pieces with its claws, carrying the light of heaven. If you don't believe me, I will show you how they are scattered and torn before him while the griffin feeds on them. Don't you know that the griffin is the image of death and retribution? He is the Shepherd of all that is on earth. He is the one who cannot be repaid. The five animate beings are in him because he exercises power over everything. "

- Myth of the sun's eye

A coffin text from the Middle Kingdom says that the deceased put the griffin under the clouds. The nature of the griffin in ancient Egyptian mythology in the Middle Kingdom is similar to that of a seraf in the Old Testament , sixth book of Isaiah ( Isa 6,6-7  EU ). Since the late period , the griffin assumed a protective function under the ancient Egyptian name Sfrr .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rainer Hannig: Large Concise Dictionary Egyptian-German: (2800-950 BC) . von Zabern, Mainz 2006, ISBN 3-8053-1771-9 , p. 754.
  2. ↑ Middle chronology: Uruk III 3050–2850 BC Chr.
  3. ↑ Wolfgang Helck: History of ancient Egypt . P. 18; Dietz-Otto Edzard and a .: Real Lexicon of Assyriology and Near Eastern Archeology, Vol. 3 . Pp. 633-634.
  4. ↑ Early Dynastic Griffin , No. 8.
  5. ↑ Griffin in the Middle Kingdom , No. 12 and Griffin of the Middle Kingdom on a magic knife .
  6. ↑ Griffin representation during the Hykos period , No. 10.
  7. ↑ a b F. Hoffmann, JF Quack: Anthology of demotic literature . Berlin 2007, p. 218.
  8. ^ Coffin Texts (= sarcophagus texts): CT VII, 2221.
  9. ↑ Ludwig Koehler, Walter Baumgartner: Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon for the Old Testament, Vol. 4: Rāʾāh-tēšʿa . Brill, Leiden 1990, ISBN 90-04-09256-0 , p. 1268, with reference to Manfred Görg: The function of the Serafs in Isaiah . In: Biblical Notes (BN) No. 5 . 1978, pp. 28-39.