An analysis of key elements of Classic Kerman religious imagery can provide suggestions of possible precursors for some aspects of Napatan and Meroitic religion. The connections between Kerman and later Kushite cultural practices are difficult to determine with certainty, and a one-to-one relationship between elements cannot be established with the current set of archaeological evidence. However, exploring the Kerman use of indigenous animal forms does reveal concentrations of religious emphases that may have echoes in later Kushite religion. Previous scholarship has focused on the possible Nubian origins of the ram form of Amun. This paper will also address the use of lions, hippopotami (Taweret), and the Kerman emphasis on flying animal deities.
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