Imiut is a fetish made from the skin of a decapitated animal. Most often Imiut made from bull or cat skins. This skin was tied by the tail to a pillar, ending with a lotus bud. The post was inserted into a special stand. Fetish used in burial rites from the earliest times of the history of ancient Egypt . Some of the earliest finds date from the first dynasty . Despite such ancient origins, the purpose of this fetish still remains a mystery.
History
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From the earliest times of ancient Egyptian mythology , the deity Imiut (which means "he who is in the shoes of his") probably was the god of the afterlife , although today there is no reliable evidence to support this. One of the first copies of Imiut was found by the expedition of the Metropolitan Museum , not far from the pyramid of Senusret I in the sanctuary. [one]
Since in later periods he was associated with Anubis , he was sometimes called the fetish of Anubis. According to one theory, Imiut could be a symbol of embalming , as well as Anubis, although there are doubts that this could be, since Anubis was originally a god of the dead, and then in later times became associated with embalming. Images of the Imiut fetish are present on the walls of ancient Egyptian temples and tombs, sometimes they were included in the complete set of burial utensils. Two of these funeral fetishes were found by G. Carter in Tutankhamun’s tomb.
See also
- Fetish
- Ancient Egyptian religion
Notes
- ↑ Edwards, IES The Treasures of Tutankhamun. - New York: Viking Press, 1972. - P. # 24. - ISBN SBN 670-72723-7.
Links
- Imiut fetish article from Ancient Egypt Online (eng.)