The Cult and Necropolis of the Sacred Ram at Mendes
The Cult and Necropolis of the Sacred Ram at Mendes
Since the dawn of Egyptian history, the roster of numina worshiped in the territory of the sixteenth township of Lower Egypt has always featured ram and fish at the head. Together the two animals indicate the probable subsistence base of the human community in this part of Egypt. The fish (schilby) became the symbol and emblem of the township; but the ram dominated the city as “Lord of the Abiding Place (Ddt).” While Mendes is seldom mentioned in the Pyramid Texts, the Coffin Texts contain some theologically significant references to the town and its god. A prominent theme depends upon the homophony of ba/b3, “ram,” and bai/b3j, “hypostatic projection of identity and power.” Possibly through the mediacy of Andjety, “the shepherd” and his association with Osiris, the latter was brought to Mendes, where he is said to be “pure,” and commands the respect of the “lords of ‘Anpet”.
Keywords: Egyptian history, ram, fish, Mendes, Osiris
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