De Mehen à l’ouroboros : le symbole du serpent circulaire sur les gemmes magiques gréco-romaines
The ouroboros, the symbol of the serpent biting its own tail, originated in Egypt, from which it migrated to the Greco-Roman cultural sphere. This circular snake evolved from the iconography of Mehen, an archaic god known since the Predynastic era. Initially connected to the resurrection in the netherworld, it became the guardian of Ra, then the protector of Osiris under the aegis of the belief in the solar-osirian union. Following its emancipation from the funerary repertory, the symbol found its way to hundreds of magical gems worn across the Roman empire from the end of the Hellenistic period to Late Antiquity. The study of these artifacts indicates that, far from a chaotic use, the serpent stays faithful to its Egyptian origins. The traditional repertory involves three main themes, the osirian, solar and uterine concepts, all of which had already matured in the funerary books of the New Kingdom. The cement of their bond resides in the old belief in the posthumous birth of both Ra and Osiris through the uterine power of Nout, a process in which the snake took part through protecting and rejuvenating roles. Thus, the recurring iconography of the ouroboros on the magical gems, when not involving the two gods directly, tend to relate to one or more of the three themes. As for the symbolic significance of the circular serpent, it retains its Pharaonic prerogatives of protecting benevolent entities and restricting those that require control.
Ouroboros Mehen Serpent Snakes Greco-Roman magical gems Egyptian magic Solar-osirian union