Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Religions in the
Graeco-Roman World
Editors
D. Frankfurter
J. Hahn
H.S. Versnel
VOLUME 171
Isis on the Nile
Egyptian Gods in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt
Edited by
LEIDEN BOSTON
2010
his book is printed on acid-free paper.
Isis on the Nile : Egyptian gods in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt. Proceedings of the
IVth International Conference of Isis Studies, Liege, November 27-29, 2008 Michel
Malaise in honorem / edited by Laurent Bricault and Miguel John Versluys.
p. cm. (Religions in the Graeco-Roman world ; v. 171)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-90-04-18882-2 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Isis (Egyptian deity)
2. EgyptReligion. 3. Gods, Egyptian. I. Bricault, Laurent. II. Versluys, M. J.
BL2450.I7I86 2010
299.312114dc22
2010040411
ISSN 0927-7633
ISBN 978 90 04 18882 2
I. INTRODUCTIONS:
THE ROLE OF EGYPTIAN RELIGION AND TRADITION
IN HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN EGYPT
Figures
FOREWORD
here is only a small and select group of scholars for whom it would be
itting to organise an Isis conference in honour of their retirementand
Michel Malaise, professeur ordinaire mrite de la chaire dgyptologie
de lUniversit de Lige certainly belongs to that category. He has
always been at the forefront of the development of Isis studies. First,
in 1972, by adding to the tudes prliminaires aux religions orientales
dans lempire romain (EPRO) not only a (still very important) cata-
logue of Egyptian and egyptianising monuments from Italy but also a
profound interpretation, on that basis, of the difusion of the Isis cults.
Ater that, Malaise dealt with very many aspects of the famille isiaque
in separate articles and, moreover, critically followed the discipline in
his remarkable comptes rendus. Most recently, in 2005, he published
Pour une terminologie et une analyse des cultes isiaques, a book that
will be fundamental reading for a long time to come for all those inter-
ested in the cults of Isis. To provide the reader with an overview of the
wealth and scope of Malaises work in this domain we have included
his bibliographie isiaque (pp. xvxix) in this volume.
Malaises 2005 book and debates at the former Isis conference
(Leiden 2005), published in 2007 under the title Nile into Tiber,
underlined that (religious) developments in Egypt itself are actually
also part of what has always been described and studied as lgypte
hors dgypte. In the irst instance this might seem a truism. An over-
view of the scholarly literature, however, shows that Hellenistic and
Roman Egypt is oten treated only as sender of concepts and ideas
alone and not, at the same time, as part of those developments. For
this reason the Lige-conference focused on what Malaise himself has
called la religion gyptienne isiaque and thus on processes most oten
described as the interpretatio aegyptiaca of foreign religious inluences
or the interpretatio graeca of Egyptian characteristics. he contribu-
tors to the conference were invited to relect on how the theology,
iconography and understanding of the gens isiaca in Egypt developed
in the Hellenistic and Roman periods and how that development did
relate to cultural dynamics in the Mediterranean at large. One of the
most intriguing aspects of the isiac gods in Egypt in the Hellenistic and
Roman periods is their hybrid character: they are Egyptian as well
viii foreword
For the abbreviations used in this volume we refer to the Archologische Bibliographie
and the Anne philologique. Furthermore are used:
gypten Griechenland Rom = H. Beck, P.C. Bol und M. Bckling (eds.), gypten
Griechenland Rom. Abwehr und Berhrung. Stdelsches Kunstinstitut und Stdtische
Galerie 26. November 200526. Februar 2006 (Frankfurt am Main 2005).
Alston, Changing ethnicities = R. Alston, Changing ethnicities: from the Egyptian to
the Roman city, in: T. Cornell, K. Lomas (eds.), Gender and ethnicity in ancient
Italy, Accordia specialist studies on Italy 7 (London 1997) 8396.
Augenblicke = K. Parlasca and H. Seemann (eds.), Augenblicke. Mumienportrts und
gyptische Grabkunst aus rmischer Zeit (Mnchen 1999).
Bailey, Ptolemaic and Roman Terracottas from Egypt = D.M. Bailey, Ptolemaic and
Roman terracottas from Egypt. Catalogue of terracottas in the British Museum IV
(London 2008).
Bonneau, La crue du Nil = D. Bonneau, La crue du Nil. Divinit gyptienne travers
mille ans dhistoire (332 av.641 ap. J.-C.) daprs les auteurs grecs et latins, et les
documents des poques ptolmaque, romaine et byzantine (Paris 1964).
Bonner, Studies = C. Bonner, Studies in Magical Amulets chiely Graeco-Egyptian (Ann
Arbor 1950).
Bresciani, Il volto = E. Bresciani, Il volto di Osiri. Tele funerarie dipinte nellEgitto
romano (Lucca 1996).
Bricault, Dame des lots = L. Bricault, Isis, Dame des lots, Aegyptiaca Leodiensia 7
(Lige 2006).
Burkert, Ancient Mystery Cults = W. Burkert, Ancient Mystery Cults (Cambridge,
Mass 1987).
Cauville, Dendara I = S. Cauville, Dendara. Le temple dIsis I. Traduction, OLA 178
(Leuven 2003).
, Dendara II = S. Cauville, Dendara. Le temple dIsis II. Analyse la lumire du
temple dHathor, OLA 179 (Leuven 2009).
Cleopatras Egypt = R.S. Bianchi et al. (eds.), Cleopatras Egypt. Age of the Ptolemies
(Brooklyn 1988).
Commerce et artisanat = J.-Y. Empereur (ed.), Commerce et artisanat dans lAlexandrie
hellnistique et romaine. Actes du colloque dAthnes organis par le CNRS, le Labo-
ratoire de Cramologie de Lyon et lcole Franaise dAthnes, 1112 dcembre 1988,
Bulletin de Correspondance Hellnique. Supplment 33 (Athens 1998).
De Memphis Rome = L. Bricault (ed.), De Memphis Rome. Actes du Ier Colloque
international sur les tudes isiaques, Poitiers-Futuroscope, 811 avril 1999, RGRW
140 (Leiden 2000).
Denkmler Dachla = J. Osing et al. (eds.), Denkmler der Oase Dachla: aus dem Nach-
lass von Ahmed Fakhry, Archologische Verfentlichungen 28 (Mainz am Rhein
1982).
Derchain, Observations sur les Erotica = P. Derchain, Observations sur les Erotica, in:
G.T. Martin (ed.), he Sacred Animal Necropolis at North Saqqara, the Southern
dependencies of the main temple complex (London 1981) 166170.
Dunand, Culte dIsis I = F. Dunand, Le culte dIsis dans le bassin oriental de la Mditer-
rane I. Le culte dIsis et les Ptolmes, EPRO 26 (Leiden 1973).
, Religion populaire = F. Dunand, Religion populaire en Egypte romaine. Les terres
cuites isiaques du Muse du Caire, EPRO 76 (Leiden 1979).
xii abbreviations and bibliography
Monographs
Contributions
La difusion des cultes gyptiens dans les provinces europennes de lEmpire romain,
dans: W. Haase (d.), Aufstieg und Niedergang der rmischen Welt II, 17, 3 (Berlin
1984) 16151691.
Articles Horus, Isiaques (cultes), Isis, Mythologie gyptienne, dans: P. Poupard (d.),
Dictionnaire des Religions (Paris 1984).
Plerinages et plerins dans lEgypte ancienne, dans: J. Chellini, J. Branthomme
(ds.), Histoire des plerinages non chrtiens (Paris 1987) 5582.
(Les cultes isiaques), dans: A. Motte, P. Wathelet, V. Pirenne (ds.), Mentor.
Guide bibliographique de la religion grecque (Lige 1992) 116117 et no. 102, 120,
121, 136, 140, 147, 148, 222, 274, 275, 318, 350, 601, 602, 603, 604, 606, 642, 708,
709, 710, 806, 811, 815, 816, 819, 870, 877, 898, 915, 916, 926, 933, 935, 1015, 1016,
1056, 1062, 1128, 1129, 1130, 1131, 1134, 1163, 1197, 1265, 1524, 1598, 1609, 1620,
1661, 1852, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1885, 1963, 1964, 2013, 2014.
Iside hellenistica, dans: E. Arslan (d.), Iside, il mito, il mistero, la magia (Milan
1997) 8695 et 701702.
(Les cultes isiaques), dans: A. Motte, P. Wathelet, V. Pirenne (ds.), Mentor. Guide
bibliographique de la religion grecque II (Lige 1998) 8891 et no. 2142, 2143, 2248,
2357, 2400, 2452, 2453, 2454, 2495, 2571, 2572, 2621, 2629, 2651, 2658, 2659, 2679,
2722, 2740, 2814, 2816, 2821, 2849, 2879, 2880, 2969, 3047, 3075, 3077, 3153, 3170,
3186, 3237, 3239, 3240, 3241, 3242, 3243, 3260, 3265, 3266, 3221, 3342, 3360.
Article Bes dans: D.B. Redford (ed.), he Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt I
(Oxford 2001) 179181.
Articles
Reviews
L. Vidman, Isis und Sarapis bei den Griechen und Rmern, dans Latomus 31 (1972)
591596.
J. Leclant, Inventaire bibliographique des Isiaca I, dans Chronique dgypte 47 (1972)
170172.
V. Tran tam Tinh, Le culte des divinits orientales Herculanum, dans Latomus
31 (1972) 933935.
H.W. Mller, Il culto di Iside nellantica Benevento, dans Latomus 32 (1973) 260261.
G. Sfameni Gasparro, I culti orientali in Sicilia, dans Latomus 32 (1973) 655657.
V. Tran tam Tinh, Essai sur le culte dIsis Pompi, dans Revue Belge de Philologie
et dHistoire 51 (1973) 183184.
J. Leclant, Inventaire bibliographique des Isiaca I, dans Revue Belge de Philologie et
dHistoire 52 (1974) 1071.
J. Stambaugh, Sarapis under the Early Ptolemies, dans Latomus 33 (1974) 191192.
A. Roullet, he Egyptian and Egyptianising Monuments of Imperial Rome, dans
Latomus 33 (1974) 192195.
V. Tran tam Tinh, Isis lactans, dans Latomus 34 (1975) 529531.
Fr. Dunand, Le culte dIsis dans le bassin oriental de la Mditerrane IIII, dans Bib-
liotheca Orientalis 32 (1975) 3239.
G. Kater Sibbes, Preliminary Catalogue of Sarapis Monuments, dans Latomus 34
(1975) 853854.
V. Vanderlip, he Four Greek Hymns of Isidorus and the Cult of Isis, dans Latomus
35 (1976) 450451.
Ph. Bruneau, Le sanctuaire et le culte des divinits gyptiennes Ertrie, dans Latomus
35 (1976) 926928.
W. Hornbostel, Sarapis. Studien zur berlieferungsgeschichte, den Erscheinungsfor-
men und Wandlungen der Gestalt eines Gottes, dans Latomus 35 (1976) 436437.
H.B. Schnborn, Die Pastophoren im Kult der gyptischen Gtter, dans LAntiquit
Classique 45 (1976) 743746.
R.E. Witt, Isis in the Graeco-Roman World, dans Latomus 36 (1977) 229.
J. Leclant, Inventaire bibliographique des Isiaca II, dans Chronique dgypte 52
(1977) 98100.
G. Kater-Sibbes, M.J. Vermaseren, Apis I & II, dans Chronique dgypte 52 (1977)
100104.
Fr. Le Corsu, Isis. Mythes et mystres, dans Chronique dgypte 53 (1978) 385390.
J. Hani, La religion gyptienne dans la pense de Plutarque, dans Revue Belge de Phi-
lologie et dHistoire 57 (1979) 416419.
G. Kater-Sibbes, M.J. Vermaseren, Apis III, dans Chronique dgypte 54 (1979)
9394.
M. Kobylina, Divinits orientales sur le littoral nord de la mer Noire, dans Bibliotheca
Orientalis 36 (1979) 3738.
G. Hlbl, Zeugnisse gyptischer Religionsvorstellungen fr Ephesus, dans Chronique
dgypte 54 (1979) 268270.
J.-Cl. Grenier, Anubis alexandrin et romain, dans Chronique dgypte 54 (1979)
171174.
Fr. Le Corsu, Isis. Mythe et mystres, dans Latomus 39 (1980) 494496.
Fr. Dunand, Religion populaire en Egypte romaine, dans Chronique dgypte 56 (1981)
376381.
M. De Vos, Legittomania in pitture e mosaici romano-campani della prima et impe-
riale, dans Latomus 41 (1981) 904905.
M.J. Vermaseren (d.), Die orientalischen Religionen im Rmerreich, dans Gnomon
51 (1983) 620625.
S. Curto, Le sculture egizie ed egittizzanti nelle Ville Torlonia in Roma, dans Latomus
47 (1988) 254255.
michel malaise: bibliographie isiaque xix
Kyriakos Savvopoulos
1. Plan of Hypogeum A, Shatby (ater A. Adriani, Repertorio darte
dellEgitto greco-romano C [Palermo 1966] pl. 44, ig. 168)
2. he necropolis of the Nelson Island, with the funerary Kline room
(right) and the loculi burials of the 30th Dynasty (or slightly later)
(let). Ater Pr. Paolo Gallo
3. South Faade of Mustapha Pasha Tomb I (ater McKenzie, Archi-
tecture 73 ig. 106)
4. Example of monumental art from the Sarapeion (photos taken by
the author)
5. Anfushy II: wall painting in the irst landing of the stairs leading
to the court (ater A. Adriani, Ncropoles de Lile de Pharos 62
ig. 32)
6. Trees painted on the walls of Room 2 (ater Adriani, Ncropoles de
Lile de Pharos pl. XL, ig. 2)
xxii list of figures
Marjorie S. Venit
1. Achmim, von Bissings 1897 tomb (ater von Bissing, Akhmn 556
ig. 1)
2. Von Bissings 1897 tomb, ceiling zodiac (ater Kaplan, Grabmal-
erei pl. 88a)
3. Achmim, von Bissings 1897 tomb (ater von Bissing, Aus rmis-
chen Grbern 2 ig. 2)
4. Von Bissings 1897 tomb, Judgment scene, North wall, right end
(ater Kaplan, Grabmalerei pl. 86b)
5. Von Bissings 1897 tomb, Judgment scene (ater von Bissing,
Akhmn pl. I)
6. Von Bissings 1897 tomb, South wall (ater Kaplan, Grabmalerei
pl. 87b)
7. Achmim, von Bissings 1897 tomb, Deceased male, Wall DE
(ater Kanawati, Sohag pl. 40)
8. Dura Europus synagogue, Moses parting the Red Sea (ater A.
Grabar, Early Christian Art. From the Rise of Christianity to the
Death of heodosius [New York 1968] 74 ig. 67 [detail])
9. Tigrane Tomb plan (ater Venit, Alexandria ig. 127)
10. Tigrane Tomb dome (author photograph)
11. Tigrane Tomb, male at entrance way (author photograph)
12. Tigrane Tomb, central niche (author photograph)
13. Tigrane Tomb, let niche (author photograph)
14. Tigrane Tomb, right niche (author photograph)
15. Von Bissings 1897 tomb, Demons (ater Kanawati, Sohag pl. 42)
16. Von Bissings 1897 tomb, Scene on altar (ater Kanawati, Sohag pl.
42 [detail])
17. Achmim, von Bissings 1897 tomb, detail of altar, Wall DE (ater
Kanawati, Sohag pl. 40 [detail])
18. Achmim, von Bissings 1897 tomb (ater von Bissing, Aus rmis-
chen Grbern 2 ig. 2)
list of figures xxiii
Angelo Geissen
1. Lion : Kln 1535
2. Hydre : Kln 1427
3. Sanglier : daprs he New York Sale, Auction I (December 3,
1998) lot 177
4. Biche : daprs J. Goddard (ed.), SNG XII. he Hunterian Museum,
University of Glasgow. Part II. Roman Provincial Coins, Cyprus
Egypt (Oxford 2007) no. 4156
5. Oiseaux : Kln 1348
6. Taureau : daprs Classical Numismatic Auctions, Classical Coins
XIII, Public Auction Sale, December 4, 1990, Quarryville (Pens.)/
Beverly Hills (Calif.) lot 201
7. Chevaux : daprs Mnzen und Medaillen A.G., Basel, Aegyptische
Kunst, Auktion 46 (28. April 1972) 208
8. Ceinture : daprs Mnzen und Medaillen A.G., Basel, Aegyptische
Kunst, Auktion 4 (28. April 1972) 207
9. Troupeau : Kln 1542
10. Cerbre : Kln 1544
11. Hesprides : Kln 1545
12. Augias : daprs Classical Numismatic Auctions, Classical Coins
XIII, Public Auction Sale, December 4, 1990, Quarryville (Pens.) /
Beverly Hills (Calif.) lot 197
13. Antaios : daprs Voegtli, Bilder Tafel 12s
14. Pholos : Kln 1428
15. Promthe : Kln, Institut fr Altertumskunde, supplment indit ;
cf. Classical Numismatic Auctions (CNA), Classical Coins XIII,
Public Auction Sale, December 4, 1990, Quarryville (Pens.) / Bev-
erly Hills (Calif.) lot 216
16. Achille et Chiron : daprs Classical Numismatic Auctions (CNA),
Classical Coins XIII, Public Auction Sale, December 4, 1990, Quar-
ryville (Pens.) / Beverly Hills (Calif.) lot 218
17. Apollon et Marsyas : daprs Numismatic Fine Arts, Auction
XXXII (New York, June 10, 1993) lot 316
18. Bellrophon et Chimre : daprs he New York Sale, Auction I
(December 3, 1998) lot 176
19. Lycurge, lan 8 : daprs D.O.A. Klose et al., gypten zur Rmerzeit.
Antikes Leben aufgrund der numismatischen Quellen (Mnchen
1989) 47 no. 143
list of figures xxv
Klaus Parlasca
1. Holzsarg in Bahrenform. Berlin Inv. 12442 (Ausschnitt)
2. Holzsarg. Berlin Inv. 504 (Schmalseite)
3. Leichentuch der ehemaligen Sammlung Olsen (Ausschnitt, Cour-
tesy of the North Carolina Museum of Art [L.57.14.95 Neg.
2528])
4. Zwei Mumienetiketten in Mainz. Ehemals Sammlung Prinz Johann
Georg von Sachsen (Photo: Birgit Schlick-Nolte)
5. Fragment einer Kartonagemasken. Paris, Louvre Inv. E 12175
(Ausschnitt mit Schlssel auf einem Altar)
6. (ab) Zwei Kartonagemasken. Paris, Louvre Inv. N 2878B
7. Fragment eines Mumienportrts. Turin Inv. 2265
8. Mumie aus Oxyrhynchos (?). Ehemals im Pariser Kunsthandel
9. Grabrelief aus Abydos. New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Inv. 20.2.44 (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers
Fund 1920)
10. Grabrelief aus Terenuthis. Kairo, gyptisches Museum Inv. J.E.
87533
11. (ab) Mumie des Pj-Nacht. Berlin Inv. 14291 (Ausschnitte)
12. Leichentuch aus Memphis. Berlin Inv. 11651
13. Leichentuch aus Memphis. Berlin Inv. 11651 (Ausschnitt : Knig
mit Waage und Schlssel)
14. Hund mit Schlssel. Holzschnitt von Gerhard Grimm
Youri Volokhine
1. Philae. Propyle du temple dHathor (Photo: J. Cayzac)
2. Bloc de Kom Ombo. Daprs J. De Morgan et al., Catalogue des
Monuments et Inscriptions de lgypte antique. Kom
Ombos. Deuxime partie (Vienne 1909) bloc no. 984
3. Mammisi dErmant. Daprs LD IV 65 (dtail)
4. Mammisi dErmant. Daprs LD IV 65 (dtail)
5. Mammisi dErmant. Daprs LD IV 65 (dtail)
6. Mammisi dErmant. Daprs LD IV 65 (dtail)
7. Scne du mammisi dErmant. Daprs Description de lEgypte I pl.
95.8
8. Daprs E. Drioton, Fouilles de Mdamoud (1926). Les inscriptions
(Le Caire 1927) 2829 (no. 329)
9. Les Bs dans le temple de Nadoura (haut) (Photo: Y. Volokhine)
list of figures xxvii
Pierre Koemoth
1. Mosaque nilotique de Palestrina, dtail (daprs Meyboom, Nile
Mosaic)
2. Peinture nilotique murale de Pompi, Casa dei Pigmei (daprs
Kiss, Le dieu-crocodile)
3. Mosaque nilotique de Rome, Antiquarium communale (daprs
Kiss, Le dieu-crocodile)
4. Jeune homme couronnant un crocodile, faence colore, Muse
du Louvre E 11734 (daprs Willems, Clarysse, Les Empereurs du
Nil )
5. Crocodile momiforme avec guirlande autour du cou, terre cuite,
Muse de Berlin 9148 (daprs Kiss, Souchos)
6. a. Stle ddie Sobek-R de Soumenou, Paris, collection
prive (daprs Fazzini, Some Egyptian Reliefs in
Brooklyn)
b. Stle anpigraphe provenant de Soumenou, Muse de
Louxor J. 182 (daprs Bakry, Discovery of a temple)
xxviii list of figures