Jackal
The canine deity Wepwawet stands on the upper portion of a sledge with cobras at his feet. He is attentive and alert with his ears pricked up. The sledge was probably the upper part of a standard, as most Wepwawet representations in copper alloy are standards (like 86.1.70). It seems unlikely that this figure was an actual standard, as it would have been too small to be easily visible. Instead it may have been a standalone offering or been used in another as yet unknown setting. A suspension loop at the back of the neck, set behind Wepwawet’s collar, shows that the figure may have been hung for display or worn, instead of being carried or erected like a full-size standard. The presence of suspension loops, however, is not always a straightforward indicator for how a piece may have been displayed (see, for example, Osiris X.352.4 with its multiple loops and tang), and thus the display and function of these types of pieces is still ambiguous without more contextual evidence from archaeological sites.
Wepwawet was known as the "Opener of the Ways" and on temple reliefs and stelae, such standards were frequently carried in processions and festivals. The god was chiefly associated with Osiris and his cult practices in this period. Osiris was overwhelmingly popular as a dedication in the Late and Ptolemaic Periods and the frequent representation of Wepwawet standards in copper alloy may be linked to that popularity.
Wepwawet was known as the "Opener of the Ways" and on temple reliefs and stelae, such standards were frequently carried in processions and festivals. The god was chiefly associated with Osiris and his cult practices in this period. Osiris was overwhelmingly popular as a dedication in the Late and Ptolemaic Periods and the frequent representation of Wepwawet standards in copper alloy may be linked to that popularity.
Artwork Details
- Title: Jackal
- Period: Late Period–Ptolemaic Period
- Date: 664–30 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt
- Medium: Cupreous metal
- Dimensions: H. 8.9 cm (3 1/2 in.); W. 2.5 cm (1 in.); L. 9.4 cm (3 11/16 in.)
- Credit Line: Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M. Davis, 1915
- Object Number: 30.8.108
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
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550–300 B.C.
ca. 945–712 BCE
332–30 BCE
390–246 BCE
610–595 B.C.
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