The Beast of Two Gods: Sivatherium as the Seth Animal — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

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Jun Wang
Kim Instenes
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James Ripley

The Beast of Two Gods: Sivatherium as the Seth Animal

Name: Andrew Goebel
Major: Classical Archaeology, Political Science
Hometown: Pardeeville, WI
Faculty Sponsor:
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Senior thesis
Funding: (n/a)

Abstract

Attempts thus far to identify the animal representing the Egyptian god Seth have been fruitless because these inquiries have failed to take into account prehistoric fauna and the distorting tendency of folk memory. With analysis of the earliest artifacts depicting Seth and comparison with extinct mammals conceivably encountered by prehistoric Egyptians--in addition to ancient depictions of the latter--Sivatherium, an ancient giraffid, appears to be the closest match. This thesis takes a structural approach in the analysis of literature concerning Seth, thus establishing him as a liminal figure. In so doing, this thesis works to establish that the deity's complicated and increasingly negative role in Egyptian myth and religion was partially engendered through the liminality of folk memory and the Seth animal's origin being forgotten by the ancient Egyptians.

Poster file