106 



January 2nd., 1849. Prof. Phillips in the Chair. 



Additional Observations on the Egyptian Gnostic Amulet, 

 described by Mr. Wellbeloved, (see page 95j. — By 

 THE Rev. John Kenrick, M. A. 



Fig. 1. 



Fig. 2. 



Of the two figures given above. No. 1 represents the inscrip- 

 tion on the plate of gold which Mr. Wellbeloved has described, 

 copied from his Eburacum, PI. xvii. 15. No. 2 is copied 

 from a Gnostic gem, figured by Matter, (Hist. Crit. du Gnos- 

 ticisme Planche ii. c. fig. 2.) The reverse exhibits Anubis with 

 another figure, and the legend lAa 4>EPEN*EPO.* When thus 

 placed in juxtaposition with each other, there can be little 

 doubt, I think, that the characters in the upper line of the 

 plate in our Museum, are of the same class as those on Matter's 

 gem. But to what system of writing they belong, or what is 

 their meaning, is altogether uncertain. The lower Hue being 

 in Greek characters is sufiiciently legible, PHNEBENNO VTH. 

 At the time when these inscriptions were made, the Coptic 

 had no alphabet of its own. 



I was induced to seek the interpretation of this word in the 

 Coptic language, and to suppose that it might have a reference 

 to one of the old divinities of Egypt, from the circumstance 

 that the Gnostic doctrines and emblems are known to have 

 been derived from the Egyptian metaphysics and theology, as 

 well as from the theosophy and cabalistic doctrines of the Jews. 

 They exhibit a strange mixture of Paganism, Judaism, and 

 Christianity, such as only Alexandria could have produced, 



• The second letter is C in Matter's engraving, but this is probably an error for 

 E. The whole may perhaps stand for PHRENOFEE, in Coptic, " Phre is good." 



(Proceedings Y. P. 8., 1849.) 



