Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Beware this Ancient Egyptian Monster of the Dark!

The ancient Egyptians often represented gods as human with animal heads. Usually, we can tell exactly what kind of animal they meant. But there's one god--Set or Seth, the god of chaos and darkness--whose animal representation remains unclear. 
Dude, what are you--a camel? Anteater? And what's with those ears?
When he's depicted as a full animal, the body is clearly some sort of canine (being the dawg he is), but nobody knows for sure what his head is supposed to represent. Some think it could be the Fennec fox, found in remote areas of southern Egypt. 

Possibly. But I dunno. The ears might work, but these cute little foxes don't seem as if they would be as fearsome as you would expect from the god of chaos, destruction and danger. Also, they don't have the straight tail with the bushy end as shown on the hieroglyph of Set. 

So, basically, nobody knows. But I think I've figured it out, folks. Seriously. You must watch this fearsome creature and see for yourself. Look at the ears! Look at the tail! And then if you don't expire from the cuteness, you too might agree that the Egyptian jerboa--with the legs of a kangaroo, face of a mouse, body of a bird and tail with a bushy tip, might very well embody the pure evil that is Set.*



*Obviously, just kidding! Nobody knows what Set was, but I couldn't resist the winsomeness of the jerboa.

8 comments:

Elizabeth O Dulemba said...

That is one weird looking critter!! Like a bird, but not... But I LOVE the Fennec fox - how CUTE!!! :)

Robyn Lucas said...

Want one! Its such a cute kangaroo/mouse/hamster/fox-thing.

oh, yeah, I was totes scared.

Cathy C. Hall said...

Oh, that's a dastardly looking critter, for sure. I was quaking in my flip flops.

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

I know, right?! I want one Soooo bad...so that I can be totes scared all the time. ;-)

Kara said...

Okay...that kinda is one CREEPY looking thing. I think it's the bird body that has me spooked! And the hopping...and the bushy tail thing that looks like a riding crop. EEK!

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

Creepy? I think it's adorable, Kara!

Robyn Hood Black said...

I'll forward to my son, Seth. Not sure if he'll thank me. ;0)

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

Well, I hope he gets a chuckle out of it at least!!