The Seth animal is generally regarded as a fabulous beast that existed only in the imagination of ancient Egyptians. But this composite creature may well have its origin in prehistoric times in a very real African animal with disparate features, the aardvark. In addition to its long downward-pointing snout, tall, pricked ears, and long tail, there are numerous other aspects of the aardvark’s appearance and behavior that are echoed in the god Seth and its animal. Iconography alone is, however, not completely conclusive, but many of the recurring concepts associated with the aardvark throughout Sub-Saharan Africa also evoke those associated with Seth. This confirms, in all likelihood, the origin of the Seth animal. Besides this mere identification, the implications are wide ranging, as many of Seth’s intriguing and often contradictory aspects in connection with kingship, disorder, sexuality, cosmogony, death, strength, magic, etc. finally make sense.
Seth animal; aardvark; Predynastic; kingship, origin of; sexuality; underworld; sun; cosmogony; death; was scepter; sub-Saharan Africa; Tabwa; Bamana
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