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I’ve been listening to “Blood Moon” by Saint Sister a lot this season and it inspired this piece of a spooky Minoan Artemis dancing in the woods.

#artemis #diana #potnia theron #mistress of beasts #saint sister #goddess #mythology #greek mythology #olympians #minoan #bronze age #pagan #sistrum

Ancient Egyptian faience emblem from a sistrum (rattle), depicting the goddess Hathor. Made by an unknown artist during the Late Period (Dynasties 26-29 = 664-332 BCE). Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art.

#art #art history #ancient art #Egypt #Ancient Egypt #Egyptian art #Ancient Egyptian art #artifact #artifacts #sistrum #Egyptian religion #Ancient Egyptian religion #Hathor #faience #Late Period #Metropolitan Museum of Art

~ Vignette from funerary papyrus (Book of the Dead) from papyrus N 3149.

Period: Ptolemaic Period

Medium: Papyrus

Bastet | Goddess of Fertility

Sistrum fragment in the shape of a Hathor head

Egyptian, Late Period, Saite 664–525 B.C.

Green faience, H. 13.5 cm (5 5/16 in.)

Hi, I've got questions about sistrum. I know there's not much info about it so anything helps! First, is sistrum ritual use restricted to Hathor and Bast? If not, does it function as a means to call the netjeru in the beginning of a ritual, a bit like incense?

Many thanks <3

i totally forgot this ask was in my bin rip. Have an info dump about sistra

The sistrum usually comes in two styles: the hathor-headed style (above) and the loop style (below)

The sistrum is heavily associated with Hathor. It's thought that the sistrum may have originated as shaking papyrus flower bundles. This is mimicked a bit in the "sesheshet" name. Hathor is associated with the papyrus and it's shaking (imagine cattle walking through papyri groves).

According to Wilkinson, the sound of the instrument was regarded as protective and the instrument itself was a symbol of divine blessings and embodied the concept of rebirth. In certain circumstances, the sistrum can carry erotic or fertility connotations (also closely related to hathor).

Originally, it was central to Hathor's cult center, specifically with Ihy playing it for her. He says the sistrum entered the cults of other deities, especially those of Amun and Aset. So if you want historical backing to use the sistrum outside of Hathorian/Bast contexts, there is a precedent.

He mentions that it was specifically used by priestesses in antiquity, but i don't think that really matters in the modern era.

imo, the sistrum can be used to call gods, even though Wilkinson doesn't specifically mention it. They seem to come to nice things, things that smell good, taste good, sound good, look good. So why not? Also worth mentioning that it can also be used to pacify gods.

idk if that helps?

#asks #kemetic #sistrum #hathor #sistra

Roman Bronze Sistrum (Ceremonial Rattle), 1st or 2nd Century CE, said to have been found in the River Tiber, Rome, The British Museum, London

This Egyptian-looking rattle was used by a priest or priestess of Isis in Rome. Some Romans thought worshipping this goddess was suspicious, even dangerous. The maker showed his loyalty to Rome by putting Romulus, Remus and the she-wolf on the top. The she-wolf is licking one of the twins with her big tongue.