Arensnuphis
Mythology of Arensnuphis
As an anthropomorphic deity of Meroitic Nubia,
Arensnuphis' origins are unclear, but the god seems to have
been indigenous to the area to the south of Egypt.
Unfortunately, the Egyptian interpretation of his name as
Iry-hemes-nefer - 'the good companion' - suggests only a
begin deity, and provides no real indication of his origins
or essential nature. In the temple of Arensnuphis at Philae
the god is called the 'companion' of Isis but this title
does not seem to be based on any mythological background. It
is more important that he was equated with the Egyptian gods
Onuris and Shu, sometimes being merged with the latter as
the syncretic deity Shu-Arensnuphis.
Iconography of Arensnuphis
Arensnuphis was usually depicted in the
form of a man wearing a feathered crown, sometimes holding
a spear. His association with Shu and Onuris probably led
to similarities of iconography shared by these gods.
Arensnuphis could also be depicted in the form of a lion,
though in this form he may not be distinguishable from
other Egyptian lion gods.
Worship of
Arensnuphis
The cult of Arensnuphis is first
attested in Nubia at Musawwarat el-Sufra east of the Nile's
sixth cataract in the 3rd century BC. The god's worship
spread into Egyptian Nubia during the Graeco-Roman Period,
and a small kiosk was jointly built and decorated for him
on the island of Philae by Ptolemy IV (c. 221-205 BC)
andthe Meroitic king Arqamani (c. 218-200 BC). Arensnuphis
was also depicted in the temple of Dendur near the first
cataract of the Nile where he is shown worshipped by the
Roman emperor Augustus.
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