Ritva Kurittu Wrote:
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> That's exactly what Wainright says in the article
> referenced by Katherine. Could be that "She who
> laid aside the two horns" is closer to the mark.
> Especially, since it does not seem as if they were
> "horns" to begin with. Instead Wainwright shows
> how the original "headgear" changed from a
> month-sign and double plumes to the supposed horns
> of later representations.

I prefer Wainwright's take on Hry wDb as explained by KGG, that in the royal household Seshat was a tally-keeper, a counter and a measurer. It seems to be consistent with the early hieroglyph where the symbol is placed with the sandal-bearer suggesting that Seshat of the royal household is required to be present on any major building projects, in this case under the guidance of King Scorpion. Did Wainwright explain it that way?

As for the feathers, horns, there is a third possibility and that's one directly linked to tallying, counting and measuring. Looking for origins in accordance with counting we need go no further than the human finger. Two strokes always represents "doubling" and three is the next step in the process which is the first thing derived from doubling, multiples of three. It amazes me that Gillings didn't pick up on this for multiples of three are certainly needed in all the scribe's missing tables that we keep hearing about. It's linked to the thought process of first extracting two-thirds of a number before halving.

2/3rds of 3 = 2. Halve it to get 1. If you think that's weird you would be correct. One possible explanation is the mentality of Seshat where she held out three 'more or less' equal finger-widths (not four) and extracted 2/3rds. This is at the core of Egyptian arithmetic as explained by Peet and Gillings, Two fingers appears to be the preferred counting mechanism, and, argumentatively, the source of much doubling.

The degradation of the symbolism, in terms of fingers, might have eventually taken the form of five, as would normally be understood in more enlightened times.

Nephthys we don't hear too much about but there is a definite link to Seshat in so far as Nephthys being illustrated with the full armspan measure. The wings are gauged by two slots where her outstretched fingers are to rest. Cannot locate the scene right now.

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> Still, it will be exciting to see the exceptions
> promised by Jon.
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> Ritva
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> Edited 1 times. Last edit at 08/26/07 11:08AM by
> ritva.