CHAP. XIII. THE ASP OF NEPII. 239 



much more general tliroughout the Thebaid, except 

 at the island of Elephantine, and Syene. Eusebius 

 seems to confound him with Agathodaemon, but 

 this name applies rather to another Deity, the hawk- 

 headed Hor-Hat, whose emblem was the winged 

 globe, placed over the doors and windows of the 

 Egyptian temples, and overshadowing tlie sacred 

 person of the Monarch ; or to the asp, frequently 

 represented in the tombs of Thebes, guarding the 

 wine-presses and gardens of the Egyptians, which 

 was dedicated to another Divinity, the Goddess 

 Ranno*, who is sometimes figured with the head 

 of that snake. 



The asp was also sacred to Neph ; and that 

 Deity is frequently represented in the tombs stand- 

 ing in a boat, witii the serpent over him ; and he is 

 not unfrequently seen with this emblem on his head, 

 without any other ornament. At the cataracts I 

 have found him with the asp rising from between 

 his horns, and bearing the crown of the Lower 

 Country on its head, as if intended to indicate the 

 dominion of the Deity there as well as in the The- 

 baid. This serpent was the type of Dominion ; for 

 which reason it was affixed to the head-dress of the 

 Egyptian Monarchs; and a prince, on his accession 

 to the throne, was entitled to wear this distinctive 

 badge of royalty, which, before the death of his 

 father, he was not authorised to adopt. Many 

 other parts of the royal dress were ornamented witli 



* M. ChampoUion was perfectly correct iu considering the Asp of 

 Neph different from this guardian genius. I had supposed this last to 

 belong also to Neph. 



