engleski

Solar Symbolism of “Horns of Consecration”

The paper examines a tentative hypothesis according to which the so-called horns of consecration found at the Eneolithic site of Vučedol in eastern Croatia offer support for the existence of horizon solar observations in the Vučedol culture. The support, if any, could only come from the context of the find, rather than from the comparative material adduced in the paper. In the first place, the Minoan ‘horns of consecration’ are usually derived from certain Egyptian hieroglyphs, especially the akhet-sign. It was further argued that they were actually used as a crude instrument in solstitial observations, but their symbolical function is also emphasized. Yet the iconographic sources do not substantiate their connection with the sun, let alone the solstices. Concerning the akhet-sign in the context of Egyptian culture, the evidence similarly does not seem to support its association with the solstices. Several such associations have been proposed, both referring to linguistic and iconographic sources, as well as landscape arrangements and much later religious-calendaric considerations. However, none of them seems convincing. The same can be said for Mesopotamia, where a similar symbol is found and analysed in iconographic and literary sources. In conclusion, it is maintained that the postulated context of the finds is the only supportive evidence for any solar connotation of the ‘horns of consecration’ in the Vučedol culture. Therefore it cannot convincingly be argued that this object actually played any part in the horizon solar observations at Vučedol.

Vučedol; horns of consecration; akhet; solstice

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