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What is magic
Beheading
Whenever people do battle, heads will roll. An Ancient
Egyptian myth relates how Seth dismembered the corpse of
Osiris. The head was kept as a relic at the Temple of Abydos.
Beheading is a typical magical means of rendering somebody
powerless. Enemies are therefore depicted without heads.
35 Headless Osiris
Funerary figurine (shabti).
Alabaster and glass
18th Dynasty (1400-1300 BC)
Collection RMO
36 Beheaded sinners
Cut-off heads are being burnt below on the right. Eleventh
hour of the night, funerary (Amduat).
Papyrus
21st Dynasty (1070-945 BC)
Collection RMO
Prisoners
Figures of bound prisoners symbolize the enemies of the gods.
They are trampled underfoot, serve as the basis for thrones,
and appear on all kinds of everyday objects.
37 Horus standing on prisoners
Votive statuette. Bronze
Late Period (712-332 BC)
Collection Musée du Louvre
38 Bastet seated on prisoners
The prisoners are a Nubian and an Asiatic. Votive statuette.
Faience
Late Period (712-332 BC)
Collection Musée du Louvre
39 Lion and prisoner
Whip handle. Wood
New Kingdom (1400-1100 BC)
Collection RMO
40 Prisoner
Lid of a jewellery casket. Wood
New Kingdom (1400-1100 BC)
Collection RMO