聖甲蟲
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Scarab550bc.jpg/220px-Scarab550bc.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/AmunhotepIIIAndQueenTiye-MarriageScarab_BrooklynMuseum.png/220px-AmunhotepIIIAndQueenTiye-MarriageScarab_BrooklynMuseum.png)
聖甲蟲(英語:scarab)或稱死亡甲蟲,是古埃及的一種象徵符號,也指雕刻成聖甲蟲樣的物品。其最常用作護身符,也會在政府印章上作為皇室的象徵而出現。到了新王國早期,聖甲蟲也會被放到木乃伊的棺槨中,起到守護遺體的效果。
聖甲蟲因其滾球習性,與古埃及的太陽神凱布利聯繫密切,因此有一定的宗教意義。在第一中間期被人們拿來當作飾品之後,聖甲蟲的主題就開始在全埃及流行起來了,後來更成為全埃及的文化標誌,直到古埃及消亡才漸漸銷聲匿跡。聖甲蟲現存數量眾多,其上多有銘文,因此成為歷史學家和考古學家研究古埃及歷史的重要工具。
從青銅時代中期開始,地中海盆地和中東的古代居民開始使用埃及流傳而來的聖甲蟲,黎凡特等一些外國地区也引入了聖甲蟲製造工藝。
描述
[编辑]“ḫpr” 圣书体寫法: | ||
|
聖甲蟲有很多種不同的形態,其製造的目的一般是用於活人佩戴。其形狀一般是金龜子(常被認為是神聖糞金龜)。聖甲蟲有較明顯的頭部、翅鞘和腿,不過腹部通常是扁平的,其上可能會刻有象形文字以作為印章。其大小不定,從數毫米到十數釐米的都有。
聖甲蟲由石頭或者陶器製成,常選擇藍綠的材質,或者也會塗上藍色或綠色的釉。最常見的聖甲蟲製造原料為皂石,也有紫水晶、瑪瑙製成的聖甲蟲。
宗教重要性
[编辑]在古埃及,太陽神拉每天在半球形的天空巡迴,轉換生死。而金龜子將食物捲成球狀并抱在懷中,从而使埃及人将它们联系了起来。因此金龜子被當成了天球及重生的象徵,而與拉同為太陽神的凯布利的象徵就是聖甲蟲,實際上凯布利的頭部即是甲蟲頭。[1]
歷史
[编辑]第一中間期末期(約前2055年)聖甲蟲開始流行[2],它們取代了之前使用的各類印章。[3]通常其上會刻有當代法老或其他皇室成員的名稱。中王國時期分成官用和私用聖甲蟲,因此其上所刻名稱便不侷限於皇室。[4]
阿蒙霍特普三世製造了一大批紀念用聖甲蟲,其上篆刻著他的功績。現存有200多個阿蒙霍特普三世聖甲蟲樣本,其體型從三四釐米到十幾釐米不等。其他第十八王朝的法老,例如塔特摩斯三世也有製造類似的聖甲蟲。[5][6]
心形聖甲蟲是一種主要用於墓葬中的聖甲蟲,它在新王國時期和第三中間期開始流行。體型較大,4—10厘米(1.6—3.9英寸)不等。死亡之書要求心形聖甲蟲使用“nemehef”石製作,但其實也有別的石頭做成的聖甲蟲。[7]除去心形之外,也有其他種類的墓葬用聖甲蟲。[8]
參考文獻
[编辑]- ^ Liz Burlingame. Sunken Treasures: The World's Most Valuable Shipwreck Discoveries. The Weather Channel. Aug 23, 2013 [2014-04-11]. (原始内容存档于2013-08-26).
- ^ Daphna Ben-Tor: Scarabs, A Reflection of Ancient Egypt, Jerusalem 1989 ISBN 965-278-083-9, p. 8
- ^ Ward, William. Beetles in Stone: The Egyptian Scarab. Manufacture. The Biblical Archaeologist. [2013-09-28].
- ^ Daphna Ben-Tor: Scarabs, A Reflection of Ancient Egypt, Jerusalem 1989 ISBN 965-278-083-9, p. 26
- ^ Evans, Elaine. The Sacred Scarab. McClung Museum. [2013-09-28]. (原始内容存档于2018-11-11).
- ^ Ward, John. The Sacred Beetle: A Popular Treatise on Egyptian Scarabs in Art and History. London: John Murray Co. 1902.
- ^ Andrews, p.56ff
- ^ Andrews, p.59
- Andrews, Carol, 1994. Amulets of Ancient Egypt, chapter 4: Scarabs for the living and funerary scarabs, pp 50-59, Andrews, Carol, c 1993, University of Texas Press; (softcover, ISBN 0-292-70464-X)
- "Ancient Egyptian Scarab Amulet with Wings - AustralianMuseum." (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆) Ancient Egyptian Scarab Amulet with Wings - Australian Museum.Australian Museum, 22 Sept. 2009. Web. 18 Sept. 2013.
- Budge, 1977, (1926). The Dwellers on the Nile, E.A.Wallace Budge, (Dover Publications), c 1977, (originally, c 1926, by Religious Tract Society, titled as: The Dwellers on the Nile: Chapter of the Life, History, Religion and Literature of the Ancient-Egyptians); pp 265–68: "account of the hunting of wild cattle by Amenhetep III", "taken from a great scarab"; (there are 16 registers-(lines) of hieroglyphs); (softcover, ISBN 0-486-23501-7)
- "Heilbrunn Timeline ofArt History." Stamp Scarab Seal with Winged Figures [Levant or Syria (41.160.162).] (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 4 Sept. 2013. Web.18 Sept. 2013.
- Patch, Diana Craig."Exhibitions: Magic in Miniature: Ancient Egyptian Scarabs, Seals &Amulets." BrooklynMuseum: Magic in Miniature: Ancient Egyptian Scarabs, Seals & Amulets. (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆) Brooklyn Museum Archive, n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2013.<>.
- Ward, John, 1902. The Sacred Beetle: A Popular Treatise on Egyptian Scarabs in Art and History. London: John Murray Co. 1902.
- Globerover. "Egyptian Scarabs." Globerove. WordPress, 29 Mar. 2010. Web. 18 Sept. 2013.
- Evans, Elaine A. "Sacred Scarab." (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆) McClung Museum. N.p., 17 Apr. 1997. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.
- Ben-Tor, Daphna. "Egyptian-Levantine Relations And Chronology In The Middle Bronze Age: Scarab Research." The Synchronisation Of Civilisations In The Eastern Mediterranean In The Second Millennium B.C. II. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 239.Academia.edu. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.
- Sparavigna, Amelia Carolina. "The Ancient Seals." (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆) Ancient Egyptian Seals and Scarabs. Torino, Italy: n.p., 2009. N. pag. Academia.edu. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.
- Kerrigan, Michael. "Tiy's Wedding Scarab." The Ancients in Their Own Words. N.p.: Fall River, 2009. 54-55. Print.
外部連結
[编辑]- Hatshepsut: from Queen to Pharaoh (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆), an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains a significant amount of material on scarabs (see index)
- Scarab beetles and the people of Ancient Egypt (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆) Great video on scarab beetles.
- Heart Scarab Amulet Picture of a Heart Scarab Amulet from the British Museum
|