Polymorphic deity

Late Period–Ptolemaic Period

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 134

Hybrid deities combine a given deity's form with often animal elements from other deities. Here the dwarf-like body of Pataikos is combined with what appears to be a baboon's head, judging from the tufts of hair on the cheeks. The back is a falcon back. The headdress has a foliate and curving appearance not typical of Egyptian crowns and is difficult to understand.

The proliferation of representations of hybrid deities, or polymorphic deities, is a phenomenon of the first millennium. The meaning of the conjoined forms is not settled, but they are considered positive figures.

Polymorphic deity, Faience

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