Metternich Stela

The Metternich Stela is a magico-medical Horus on the Crocodiles stele that is part of the Egyptian collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

These types of stelae were used to protect the ancient Egyptian people from dangerous animals such as crocodiles and snakes.

It is theorized that in the reign of Nectanebo II, a priest named Esatum traveled to the burial place of the Mnevis bulls at Heliopolis.

There he noticed certain inscriptions that he thought were interesting and ordered them to be copied onto a large block of stone.

There the stela was created and stood for many years until Alexander the Great conquered the Persians in Egypt and it was brought to Alexandria.

For over two thousand years, the stela was missing until it was discovered in a wall that was excavated in a Franciscan monastery.

It seems to have been created with exact precision and care therefore making it a most intriguing and valuable addition to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Notable on left side of fourth row is a chariot pulled by a winged oryx called an Akhekh, a symbol of royal might.

The main function of the Metternich Stela was for the magical healing of poisons, mostly caused by animals.

The story takes up the majority of the stela and is most referenced when it came to ailments dealing with poisons.

Set was enraged and so he killed Osiris once again, but this time he chopped up his body into many parts and scattered them throughout Egypt.

Set was content thinking he would become the pharaoh of the living, but what he didn't know was that Isis was pregnant with Osiris's child.

After Isis gave birth to Horus, it was thought that he would become the new pharaoh of the living, but once Set found out he became very angry.

Isis revealed herself to Set and he tried to recant, but Ra witnessed the event and made Horus the pharaoh of the living.

(Egyptian Art) The stories inscribed on this stela, especially the one regarding Isis and Horus are the most comprehensive found on any monument.