Let's look again at the temple of Seti I in Abydos and take a closer look at the objects that the gods hold in their hands in the scenes depicted on the walls.
Historians usually use the term "attribute of God" to refer to these objects, for the most part reducing these objects to certain symbols that have no practical application. But such an interpretation is appropriate for fictional gods, but we are talking about the reality of these very gods. Consequently, their "attributes" can have quite practical functional purpose. This, for example, is confirmed by the image in the hands of Thoth of such "attributes" as a scroll of papyrus or a measuring ruler - quite ordinary objects that have clear practical application.
Then what can mean a rectangular object with two round buttons hanging from the clenched hand of God on something like a cord or wire?.. According to historians, this is an ancient inkwell. And in my opinion, it is very similar to a simplified image of a remote control or a communication device such as a mobile phone or walkie-talkie …
"Remote control" in the hands of God.
There are other funny images too. But the most mysterious and most frequently encountered object in the hands of the gods in the temple of Seti I is a certain "scepter", for which Egyptologists use the term "was." It should only be noted right away that the term "was" also denotes a much shorter object than the "scepter", but in many respects similar in appearance.
Here's what you can read about the Was:
“The scepter of the yas is composed of a vertical part, bifurcating at the lower end, and surmounted by a transverse oblique section, often in the shape of an animal's head, perhaps a fantastic one. The lower part depicts the legs of the animal, and the long middle one corresponds to the body or neck, like a giraffe. However, only the “head” of the scepter, which resembles the head of the animal Set, has a detailed zoomorphic study, but the meaning of this association is not clear."
In fact, this is true in relation to the "short wasa" (so to speak) and only those "sceptres" where they are depicted in a clearly simplified form. This oversimplification and confusion of researchers, clearly mixed two completely different objects.
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The "scepter" depicted in the hands of the gods on the walls of the temple of Seti I is much more complicated. In the lower part, it is a clearly hollow tube with a "fork with two teeth" emerging from it (those supposedly "animal legs"). This "fork" is shown either fully retracted into the "scepter", or partially or fully extended from it. This difference in the position of the "plug" clearly indicates some kind of its functionality.
In its upper part, the "staff" ends with a hooked branching, which is considered to be the top of the "wasa". In the images in the temple of Seti I, one or more “was” is added to the upper part of the “wasa” in various quantities and combinations, as well as objects called “ankh” (the so-called “Egyptian cross”, in which the upper “stick” is replaced by “Ring”) and “jed” (thickened cylinder with transverse “nozzles”).
The Scepter is out of order.
Comparing different images in the temple of Seti I, one can draw attention to the fact that the “was”, “ankh” and “jed” on the “scepter” can be both in the “folded” and “unfolded” state. Moreover, in the "expanded" form, they are presented precisely when the image clearly reflects the interaction of God with someone else (man or other god). And in fact, it is quite possible to talk not so much about the "folded" or "unfolded" state of the upper part of the "scepter", but about its "working" and "non-working" position - especially if we remember that the lower part of the "scepter" can also be in a different state.
In general, it turns out that the "scepter" was not some kind of purely symbolic "attribute", but was a rather high-tech device with well-defined functional capabilities, and additional "wasas", "ankhs" and "Jedi" (in different their combinations) were used when it was required to change or enhance the effect of the "scepter".
The working condition of the "scepter".
This type of "scepter" dominates here. But there are other images as well. It is possible that some gods had not standardized, but their own, individual "sceptres". So in one drawing by Horus, the "scepter" is much wider than usual and has a seemingly structured thickness. The top of his "scepter" is curved, and in addition to the standard "ankh" and "jed" (in working order) an additional element hangs on it.
"Scepter" Horus.
And the "academician" among the gods - the god Thoth, judging by the images in the temple of Seti I, used different scepters. There are pictures of him holding the standard model here. But there is also an image where he is holding the most exotic "scepter" of all the models encountered. The "scepter" is depicted in the form of two long lotus stems, on which two cobras in the crowns of upper and lower Egypt are located at the top.
These two cobras suggest the idea of a connection between the functionality of Thoth's "scepter" and the capabilities of Ureus (see earlier). However, Egyptian mythology, alas, is surprisingly silent here and does not give hints, as with the Uraeus and the “Great Menat” of the goddess Hathor, about the functions of the “sceptres”. And in this case you have to look for another source of information.
Scepter Thoth.
Two cobras on the "scepter" of Thoth suggest the possibility of turning to the Old Testament, where there is an episode about the transformation of Moses' staff into a snake and back. Whether there is really any connection here is not completely clear. But Moses' staff is in itself worthy of attention.
A. Sklyarov