The identification process is one of the most important aspects of ancient Egyptian rituals and magical practices. The basic principle is that, through identification with a divine entity, a person acquires powers and prerogatives superior to the human world. In the practice of healing, this phenomenon has important applications. The healer identifies himself with a protective god/goddess or the patient with a deity who has suffered in myth from some ailment. This frequently occurs with the figure of Horus the child (Harpokrates), who was bitten by a scorpion and healed by his mother, Isis. The need for a healing deity makes Isis an ideal option, opening up an interesting aspect of this practice: the possibility for a male ritualist (given the likely majority of male healers) to be identified with a female deity. The analysis of this practice will insert the healing ritual in a specific performative framework, where the identities assumed by the participants were temporary and limited to the act of healing. Second, the study of this phenomenon will stress the differences between genres of healing spells and propose an interpretation of the role of women within the healing practice.
Gender and divine identification in ancient Egyptian healing spells
Gabriele Mario Conte
2024-01-01
Abstract
The identification process is one of the most important aspects of ancient Egyptian rituals and magical practices. The basic principle is that, through identification with a divine entity, a person acquires powers and prerogatives superior to the human world. In the practice of healing, this phenomenon has important applications. The healer identifies himself with a protective god/goddess or the patient with a deity who has suffered in myth from some ailment. This frequently occurs with the figure of Horus the child (Harpokrates), who was bitten by a scorpion and healed by his mother, Isis. The need for a healing deity makes Isis an ideal option, opening up an interesting aspect of this practice: the possibility for a male ritualist (given the likely majority of male healers) to be identified with a female deity. The analysis of this practice will insert the healing ritual in a specific performative framework, where the identities assumed by the participants were temporary and limited to the act of healing. Second, the study of this phenomenon will stress the differences between genres of healing spells and propose an interpretation of the role of women within the healing practice.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
