Harpocrates

/ˌhɑɹpɒkˈreɪtiːz/ noun

Definition

The Greco-Egyptian god of silence and secrets, typically depicted as a young child with a finger to his lips.

Etymology

From Greek Harpokrates, a Hellenistic interpretation of the Egyptian god Horus-pa-khered (Horus the Child). Greek merchants and colonists in Egypt fused Greek and Egyptian religious traditions, creating this syncretic deity.

Kelly Says

Harpocrates became so associated with silence that Renaissance scholars developed an entire symbolic language around him—if you see a statue of a cherub with a finger to his lips in old art, it's based on this ancient god, and it means 'keep this secret!'

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