Daemons, Spells and Spirits of the Dead
Daemons, Spells and Spirits of the Dead
Activities related to Daemon’s include:
- Daemon Hunters (a trail suitable for older children and adults)
- Senet, a fun game about the otherworld (all ages)
- Mummification demonstration (all ages)
- Trails (younger children)
While many people have heard of the main gods of ancient Egypt who had their own temples – gods such as Isis and Osiris – fewer have heard of the strange characters who, while not of this world, were not gods. These daemons, demons or genii could be either friendly or malevolent. Bes, a bandy legged dwarf daemon was a protector of children and women in childbirth; while others, such as the snake daemon ‘Hurler of Two Knives’, threatened the spirits of the dead in the afterlife. Some daemons might even threaten the living, and on display we have a great many protective amulets and even a ‘magic wand’ used to protect young children against the forces of evil.
Swansea University is becoming a ‘demon Centre’ with Dr. Kasia Szpakowska, who lectures at the university, researching and blogging on these entities.
Daemons in the Egypt Centre include:
- The daemon pictured here is ‘Embracing of Horus’. She appears on a scene on a coffin.
Items associated with the spirits of the dead include:
Spells can be found in our ‘Books of the Dead’
