Heliotrope gem: Solar child with baboon (A) Greek texts (A-B)

PP-ID:

PP-1656

Classification:

gem, magical

Collection ID:

DE_Kassel-HKH_Ge 148

Collection:

Kassel, Antikensammlung, Hessen Kassel Heritage

Collection Inventory:

Ge 148

Reference Numbers:

Capello 1702, no. 22; AGD III, no. Kassel 148; Michel 2001, no. 13; Michel, DMG, no. 19.1.e_5

Former Collections:

Patin, Charles (Paris, 1633 – Padua, 1693); Capello, Antonio (Venice, 1652–1729); Karl, Landgraf von Hessen-Kassel (Kassel, 1654–1730)

Material:

jasper, green and red

Dimensions:

22.8 x 17 x 3.4 mm

Iconography:

baboon; solar disk; orant / greeting gesture; ithyphallic posture; solar child seated with one leg bent in knee; solar child sitting on lotus flower; rays (6); side-lock of youth; greeting gesture; flail; lotus flower; lotus buds (2); star; moon, crescent

Divine Names & Voces:

Σάραπις; Ζεύς; Βαϊνχωωωχ, variants; Ἀβρασάξ, variants

Logoi:

χαβραχ-logos

Green jasper with red flecks (heliotrope). Both faces upright oval and flat, edge bevelled towards the back. (Shape 8–9). Intact, save for minor chips.

Side A: Ithyphallic baboon standing in profile to the right, front paws raised in greeting, head crowned with the solar disk. On the right, facing the baboon, the solar child seated on a lotus flower with two buds. The head of the young god is also crowned with a solar disk and surrounded with six rays, his side-lock of youth is visible. He raises his right hand in greeting, the left one is lowered and holds a flail; the right leg is pulled up, the left one is extended. Between the heads of the figures: an eight-pointed star and a crescent open to the left. Greek inscription around the scene, starting at the top: εισζευσσαραπισ → εἷς Ζεὺς Σάραπις. 'Zeus and Sarapis are one'.
Side B: Ten lines of Greek inscription: χαβρ|αχφνεσ|χηρφιχρ|οφνυρωφ|νχροφνυρ||ωφωχωβωχ|βαιχωωωχα|βρασαζδοσ|χαριναλε|ζανδρω → voces including χαβραχ-logos, variant of Βαϊνχωωωχ, variant of Ἀβρασάξ, Δὸς χάριν Ἀλεξάνδρῳ. 'Give grace to Alexander'.

Selected bibliography
• Capello 1702 >>, pl. 4, no. 22 (see Antiquitatum Thesaurus for details).
• Montfaucon 1708 >>, 178.
• Montfaucon 1719 >>, vol. 2,2, 362, pl. 153B (see Antiquitatum Thesaurus for details).
• Zazoff, AGD III >>, 233, no. 148.
• Michel 2001 >>, 28–29, no. 13; click here for the full-text excerpt.
• Michel, DMG >>, no. 19.1.e_5.