Solar Aspects of Child Gods During the Greco-Roman Period in Egypt

Metwally, Islam; Elelemi, Faten; Shelaih, Radwa Mohamed

doi:10.21608/jaauth.2022.127912.1325

Solar Aspects of Child Gods During the Greco-Roman Period in Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Tourism Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism Hotels, Suez Canal University, Ismailia Egypt

10.21608/jaauth.2022.127912.1325

Abstract

Gods played a significant role in the Ancient Egyptian Religion, some of them have notable features from others, such as child gods who are child members of divine triads including a father, mother and a son; they are frequently shown in childish or youthful human form with a distinct feature, wearing the infantile side-lock with the finger to the mouth and the plump body; they represent the universe's cyclical renewal and the king's legal succession. These gods gained a wide fame reached its peak specially during the Greco-Roman period and the inscriptions following these gods reflect their aspects moreover, their relations with other deities. They include Harpare the child member in the traid of Armant, Khonsu a member in the Theban traid, Ihy the divine musician, son of Hathor, Horsmatawy a member in the traid of Edfu, Mandulis the local Nubian god and Panebtawy a member in the traid of Kom-Ombo. The study aims to describe the representations of the solar child gods on the Greco-Roman period, and to emphasize their solar aspects in terms of iconography and relationships with the sun god (Ra).

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