Sebiumeker
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{short description|Ancient Nubian deity}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Nubian
| name = Sebiumeker
| image = Sebiumeker God in the Carlsberg Museum.jpg
| caption = Sebiumeker statue in the Carlsberg Glyptotek museum 1st century BCE
| siblings = Arensnuphis ?
}}
{{kushite religion}}
{{Ancient Egyptian religion}}
Sebiumeker was a major supreme god of procreation and fertility in Nubian mythology who was primarily worshipped in Meroe, Kush, in present-day Sudan. He is sometimes thought of as a guardian of gateways as his statues are sometimes found near doorways. He has many similarities with Atum, but has Nubian characteristics, and is also considered the god of agriculture.
Etymology
His Meroitic name was probably Sabomakal, which became Sebiumeker in the ancient Egyptian language.{{cite book |isbn=978-3-8062-1885-5 |page=153|title=Nubien: Geheimnisvolles Goldland der Ägypter|last1=Scholz|first1=Piotr O.|year=2006|publisher=Theiss }}
Role in ancient Kush
Sebiumeker was a major supreme god of procreation and fertility in Meroe, Kush (present-day Sudan).{{cite web|last1=Mark|first1=Joshua J.|title=Egyptian Gods - The Complete List|url=https://www.worldhistory.org/article/885/egyptian-gods---the-complete-list/|website=World History Encyclopedia|access-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327091141/https://www.ancient.eu/article/885/egyptian-gods---the-complete-list/|archive-date=27 March 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite book |isbn=978-977-416-478-1 |page=134|title=Ancient Nubia: African Kingdoms on the Nile|last1=Fisher|first1=Marjorie M.|last2=Lacovara|first2=Peter|last3=Ikram|first3=Salima|last4=d'Auria|first4=Sue|year=2012|publisher=American University in Cairo Press }}
He was referred to as Lord of Musawwarat. His statues have often been found near doorways at the Nubian sites Tabo (Nubia) and Musawwarat es-Sufra,{{cite book |isbn=978-9004123069 |page=302|title=The Image of the Ordered World in Ancient Nubian Art: The Construction of the Kushite Mind, 800 Bc-300 Ad|last1=Török|first1=László|year=2002|publisher=BRILL }} giving rise to the interpretation that he was a guardian god. But another interpretation is that he represented transformation which is why he was placed at the doorways of temples.
Though certainly a Nubian god, he has many Egyptian symbols and legends.
Family
His partner (or maybe brother) was Arensnuphis.{{cite book |isbn=9780810865785 |pages=343–344|title=Historical Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval Nubia|author1=Richard A Lobban JR|date=9 December 2003|publisher=Scarecrow Press }} This close association with Arensnuphis is similar to the relationship with Set and Osiris.
Image
He wore the ancient double crown with a beard and uraeus and had big ears, a mark of importance. With his double crown, false beard, kilt, and tunic, he resembles Atum.{{cite book |isbn=978-3-8030-3084-9 |page=267|title=Sudan: Antike Königreiche am Nil ; Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, München, 2. Oktober 1996 - 6. Januar 1997 ... Reiss-Museum, Mannheim, 14. Juni - 20. September 1998 ; [eine Ausstellung des Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris und der Kunsthalle der Hypo-Stiftung, München]|last1=Wildung|first1=Dietrich|last2=Kuckertz|first2=Josephine|year=1996}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology-and-history/magazine/2016/11-12/ancient-egypt-nubian-kingdom-pyramids-sudan/ |website=National Geographic |access-date=26 March 2019 |title=Rival to Egypt, the Nubian kingdom of Kush exuded power and gold |date=15 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326210024/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology-and-history/magazine/2016/11-12/ancient-egypt-nubian-kingdom-pyramids-sudan/ |archive-date=26 March 2019 |url-status=dead }}
A sandstone head without inscription stands in Meroe. It also has the double crown with uraeus. It has several Egyptian looking features, but also has the formal broad Nubian unmodeled planes.{{cite book |isbn=9780313325014 |page=[https://archive.org/details/dailylifenubians00bian/page/n259 237]|title=Daily Life of the Nubians|url=https://archive.org/details/dailylifenubians00bian |url-access=limited |last1=Bianchi|first1=Robert Steven|year=2004|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic }}
In popular culture
His worship is invoked in the Gifts of the Nile scenario in the strategy video game Civilization VI.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Ancient Egyptian religion footer}}{{Kushite religion footer}}