Hedvig Győry: Mélanges offerts a Edith Varga „Le lotus qui sort de terre” (Bulletin du Musée Hongrois des Beaux-Arts Supplément 1. Budapest, 2001)
ATTILA MÁRTON FARKAS: A Magical Plaque from Budapest
A Magical Plaque from Budapest hen I was working on my thesis dealing with the magical motif of V V Overthrowing Apep, I came across a rare find in a privat collection. I would like to dedicate this short study of that object to Edith Varga in return for her kindness during my research and for helping me locating this object. The find mentioned is a so called "magical plaque". The material of this small rectangular shaped object is limestone. Its measurements are: width: 3,2 cm, height: 6,2 cm, thickness: 1,2-1,4 cm. On one side of the plaque there is the so called "bound prisoner motif: a carved kneeling human figure with his arms tied behind his back at the elbows (fig. la.). On the other side a turtle carved with a dotted line can be seen (fig. lb.). There is no inscription on either side. Since the piece was bought originaly in an antique shop in Cairo, unfortunately its provenance is not known. Although "magical plaques" can be counted as rare Egyptian relics, the authenticity of these pieces is not in question.' These objects, all show a similar form or rather the same "system": small limestone plaques carved with the well-known kneeling enemy figures together with images of dangerous animals. Therefore, we can speak about a characteristic type of object from the Late or the Graeco-Egyptian Period. On these plaques, besides Seth and the bound prisoner motif drawings of "demonic animals" namely turtles, pierced serpents and inverted crocodiles can be found. One of them published by Daressy shows the god Seth as a kneeling bound prisoner, and on the other side can be seen a turtle as on the plaque discussed here. (fig. 2a-b.) : Another plaque, which is published by Michaelides, depicts a kneeling human prisoner (an Asiatic) together with the kneeling "prisoner" Seth bound to a common These plaques are mentioned in general by K. R. Ritner. The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice, Chicago 1993. p. 210. (fig. 19a.b.) G. Daressy, Pierre-talisman d'Edfou, ASAE 12 (1912) pp. 143-44. (fig. 1.-2.)
