#deity blend

Hermanubis or Abraxas or ? (a Roman limestone relief) [3rd century AD] by Peter Via Flickr: Hermanubis or Abraxas or ? (a Roman limestone relief) [3rd century AD] - Christie's A wolf- (or dog-)headed deity on this Roman limestone relief from the 3rd century AD, depicting some form of offering scene. A syncretic, hybridised deity, taking up characteristics from different deities: a wolf head, crowned with sheaves of wheat, and holding a key, the snake-like legs perhaps more an indicator of the cosmic warrior god Abraxas (but Abraxas is usually represented with the head of a lion or cock, together with sword and shield) the rest of the god is human, clothed in animal skin; in his right hand, he holds a key, and in his left hand, a caduceus and sheaves of wheat (the caduceus is an attribute of Mercury, together with the ram depicted on the left), and also some 'poppies' (healing quality? pain reliever ! hypnotic !). A bearded man kneeling at the right, presenting a loaf of bread on an offering table, its support with a lion head and a feline paw. Finally we do not know what kind of deity we are dealing with here: wheat, key, caduceus, poppies,... - does seem to be rather benign: fertility and prosperity? and the offering is also rather harmless: a load of bread. And it seem to be unkown where the stele was found). Text modified after Ralph Haussler: Wolf & Mythology ralphhaussler.weebly.com/wolf-mythology-italy-greek-celti... Photo from Christie's: www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/a-roman-limestone-relief-...