Gem design: Solar child on lotus flower (A) Greek inscription, characteres (B)

PP-ID:

PP-2764

Classification:

amulet design; gem, magical

Collection ID:

Ad_Pignoria 1605_4.D

Collection Inventory:

Pignoria 1605_4.D

Reference Numbers:

Chifletius–Macarius, no. X 41; Mastrocinque, SGG I, 21; CBd, no. 2764

Former Collections:

Pignoria, Lorenzo (Laurentius Pignorius, Padova 1571–1631)

Iconography:

solar child sitting on lotus flower; solar child seated with knees drawn up; hand raised to mouth; whip; lotus flower; lotus buds (2)

Divine Names & Voces:

Ἰάω, variants

Obverse upright oval, reverse transverse oval.

Side A: The solar child ("Harpocrates"), seen from the back, seated on a lotus flower with both knees pulled up. His left hand is raised to his mouth, there is a whip in his right hand, also raised.
Side B: Four characteres. Below, Greek inscription in one line: ωαι → variant of Ἰάω (or mirror / retrograde writing).

Selected bibliography
• Pignoria 1605 >>, pl. 4 (see Antiquitatum Thesaurus for details).
• Chifletius–Macarius, Abraxas >>, 51, 84, X 41 (see Antiquitatum Thesaurus for details).
• Montfaucon 1719 >>, vol. 2,2, pl. 158G (see Antiquitatum Thesaurus for details).
• SGG I >>, no. 21 (with earlier literature).

Further resources on PP-2764
• Antiquitatum Thesaurus