Dark green jasper gem: Solar child and baboon in papyrus boat

PP-ID:

PP-1657

Classification:

gem, non-specified

Collection ID:

DE_Kassel-HKH_Ge 147

Collection:

Kassel, Antikensammlung, Hessen Kassel Heritage

Collection Inventory:

Ge 147

Reference Numbers:

Capello 1702, no. 59; AGD III, no. Kassel 147; Michel 2001, no. 14; Mastrocinque, SGG I, 32; Michel, DMG, no. 19.3.d_2

Former Collections:

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

Material:

jasper, green to black

Dimensions:

14.9 × 11.7 × 3.1 mm

Iconography:

solar child sitting on lotus flower; solar child seated with knees drawn up; double crown (of Egypt)?; double crown (of Egypt); side-lock of youth; hand raised to mouth; flail; lotus flower; lotus buds (2); baboon; solar disk; orant / greeting gesture; ithyphallic posture; boat, papyrus

Dark green jasper, transverse oval, both faces flat. (Shape 8). Lower right segment broken off and missing.

Side A: The solar child sitting to the right, with both knees drawn up on a lotus flower with two buds. His head is crowned with the double crown of Egypt (or, alternatively, the lotus-crown), side-lock of youth visible. Right hand bent at the elbow and holding a flail, left hand raised to his mouth. An ithyphallic baboon stands facing him from the right, with both paws raised in greeting, head crowned with the solar disk. Both figures are placed within a papyrus boat.
Side B: Undecorated.

Selected bibliography
• Capello 1702 >>, pl. 11, no. 59 (see Antiquitatum Thesaurus for details).
• Montfaucon 1719 >>, vol. 2,2, 365, pl. 158 (see Antiquitatum Thesaurus for details).
• Zazoff, AGD III >>, 232, no. 147.
• SGG I >>, 170, no. 32. (with earlier literature).
• Michel 2001 >>, 29, no. 14; click here for the full-text excerpt.
• Michel, DMG >>, no. 19.3.d_2.