Hedvig Győry: Mélanges offerts a Edith Varga „Le lotus qui sort de terre” (Bulletin du Musée Hongrois des Beaux-Arts Supplément 1. Budapest, 2001)

JOHN GEE: Towards an Interpretation of Hypocephali

Figure 7 / III / III is only identified in one hypocephalus, where it is called ntr r

í "the great god."

69 Figures 22-23 / IX / Ha are called the httyw

10 or htt

7] "baboons" or "monkeys." Conclusions Obviously, knowing what Egyptians called the figures is only the first step towards an ancient Egyptian understanding of hypocephali. We still need to understand what the ancient Egyptians who made the hypocephali meant by the various figures. The search for understanding what they meant might lead to clues that might explain why various figures are placed in relation to other figures. References in Book of the Dead 162 that describe making and using hypocephali as well as the texts on the hypocephali themselves might be seen to have reflexes in the iconography of the hypocephali. Then we might be in a position to understand these objects in their proper context and approach the understanding that the ancient Egyptians had. An understanding of what the ancient Egyptians thought of hypocephali is still desired. If we do not pay attention to what the Egyptians said about hypocephali, we will construct a false understanding of the Egyptian phenomena. It is hoped that this study will contribute towards a proper understanding. John Gee Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts Brigham Young University Addendum Wien Nationalbibliothek Aeg. 8324, which comes from Memphis forms a type IVa with four registers of seated gods; see W. Clarysse, A Hypocephalus from Ptolemaic Memphis in Vienna, in W. Clarysse, A. Schoors, and H. Willems (eds.), Egyptian Religion The Last Thousand Years: Studies Dedicated to the Memory of Jan Quaegebeur, Leuven, 1998, p. 1:321-327. Cairo 9446.50 Louvre N 3525 A 1/3. Cairo 9445. British Museum 35875.