The Relation between Gazelle and Goddess Anukis in Ancient Egypt
Tamer Fahim
Tourism Guidance Department
Fayoum University- Faculty of Tourism and Hotels
Fayoum, Egypt 63514
Tme00@fayoum.edu.eg
Abstract
The gazelle appear much more times in ancient Egyptian context and scenes of tombs, temples and ostraca but few studies call attention to gazelle and its relations to gods and goddesses in ancient Egypt; may the fixing idea regarding which animals fall into the category 'symbolic' behind the lack of information deal with gazelle and divinity. The article contributes in broader understanding of relation between gazelle and goddess Anukis and an attempt to add information concerning the gazelle and divinity in ancient Egypt. The paper aims…show more content… Each of the three species represents a separate genus and subgenus (Estes 1992: 63, 115, Kingdon 1997: 445). It is clear from the primary sources that the ancient Egyptians knew the difference between the gazelle; oryx and ibex, as there were separate names for them, and distinctive representational details to indicate species. This seems to have been the case from the very beginning, as can be seen on a Naqada vase in Brussels (E.2631, de Meulenaere and Limme 1988: 12) where the three animals have been incised with their particular features, i.e. shape of horns, body and tail. There are several species of the gazelle represented in Egyptian art: Gazella dama, Gazella dorcas, Gazella leptoceros, Gazella rufifrons, and Gazella subgutturosa (Osborn 1998: 175-180). All of these appear to have been grouped under the heading gHs, the generic term for gazelle (Wb V: 191, 1-9), although given individual traits when depicted. The only to be given a different name is Soemmerring’s gazelle (Gazella soemmerringii), labelled gsA (Osborn 1998: 179). Among the various species of gazelle, the dorcas gazelle is by far the one most commonly depicted in Egyptian art (Brunner-Traut 1977: 426), although other members of the gazelle genus are also found in some number, such as Gazella subgutturosa, “Persian Gazelle” (Osborn 1998: 180), found in the so-called Botanical garden of Tuthmosis III in Karnak (PM…show more content… To the left is the royal scribe Hay, kneeling and with his hands raised in an adoration position. A lavish offering table is in the middle of the scene. To the right a gazelle strides forth from the mountains, facing the offering table and Hay. The inscription above the scene is divided into two sections; Hay and the other are describing the gazelle. Daressy published a complete transcription of the text (1919: 77), beginning with the inscription above the offering table and the kneeling Hay. Rdit dwA n anqt ir n sS nsw m st mAat H.Ai.t mAa xrw SA imn nxt mAa xrw SA n sA.f which read as: 'Giving praise to Anukis is that which the royal scribe in the Place of Truth Hay, justified and Saamunnakht, justified, son of his son did'. The text above the gazelle reads ‘an offering which the king gives Anukis, lady of the sky, mistress of the gods’ Htp di nsw anqt nbt pt hnwt nTrw clearly identifying the gazelle as Anukis. The motif of a gazelle emerging from mountains is analogous to that of Hathor striding forth from the western mountains, in her role as the lady of the west and the protector of the deceased (Hornung 1990: 58-59). The relationship between the gazelle and Anukis, first documented in the New Kingdom is reflected in some of the deity’s titles. The title Hr (yt) ib pr mrw, ‘the one who dwells in Komir’ , is inscribed on a temple wall of the Khonsu Temple at Karnak dating to the 19th dynasty (Helck 1968:
