Tátrai Vilmos szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 94. (Budapest, 2001)
GYŐRY, HEDVIG: To the Interpretation of Pataikos Standing on Crocodiles
the sky and the earth. On the top the scarab denotes the heavenly sphere, at the bottom the two crocodiles express the terrestrial sphere and b^ween them the figure of the amulet is embodied by a „huge" dwarf separating the s xnd the earth. 109 At the same time this amulet with a seal incision can take another interpretation dominated by the solar character of Ptah. In the interpretation of this type - corresponding to the type development where the Budapest piece belongs to - the crocodiles do not play a role. The scarab on the top could evoke the association of the rising sun, the figure of dwarf that of the sun at noon, 110 and the Atum inscriptions at the bottom 111 that of the sinking sun, thus this statuette might be thought as the hidden representation of Re. In one of the texts of Chester Beatty Pap. XI. Re itself told Isis: J am Cheperi in the morning, Re at noon and Atum in the evening." 112 The close connection between Re and the dwarf is proved by written sources, e.g. mentioning „dwarf, who is in the middle of the sky." 113 Thus this Pataikos figure can probably be considered as a theological monogram of Re. Considering these associations, it is easy to understand why this type of Pataikos similarly to Horus cippi - became connected to snakebite and its treatment respectively. Ancient Egyptians might associate him inevitably to the story of Re bitten by a snake and healed by Isis and the other story with the small Horus respectively, when they saw his child-like, solar but bellicose appearance and the enumeration of names, the sign of the marsh 114 or the scene of a standing man with a scorpion 115 on the many sealing surfaces. As for high theology, syncretistic assimilation of Re and Ptah was also usual. In the great Ptah hymn in Berlin for example Ptah is „the brightening one, who makes live the gods, the radiating one, who raises on his horizon" 116 and „the child, who is born every day" ul . Probably the complex of these associations constitutes the background for the inscription that accompanies a dwarf representation seen on a Horus cippus: beside the name of Ptah a dwarf is standing and holding snakes. It is interpreted as „Ptah, the killer of snakes" us , which fits perfectly to denominate this type of dwarf amulets. HEDVIG GYŐRY Translated by Suzanna Vanek 109 Berlandini, op. cit. (note 73), pp. 9—41. 110 Cf. el-Aguizi, op. cit. (note 102), p. 59: the Pataikos-like dwarf figures are the personifications of the morning and daily sungod while the Bes-like ones are for the night sun. 111 Atum could give protection against snakes by his hand, e. g. Jelinkova-Reymond, op. cit. (note 22), pp. 9-10. 112 Koenig, op. cit. (note 76), p. 131, and note 34, which refers to Gardiner, A.H., Comments for the P. Chester Beatty XI. p. 118. 113 Cerny - Posener, op. cit. (note 93), p. 9. Pap. 1, text 4. 1,4 Louvre, N 3700 (kind information of C. Bridonneau). 115 Louvre, E 19401 (kind information of C. Bridonneau). 116 Wolf, op. cit. (note 95), p. 18. B10-11 = II. 6-7. 117 Wolf, op. cit. (note 95), pp. 34, 36, G4 = IX.4a. 118 Sandman-Holmberg, M., The God Ptah, Lund 1946. p. 183; cf. Ptah together with other gods stands against poisons of the snakes: Sander-Hansen, op. cit. (note 98), Spruch V, 23-24.
