
Egyptian mythology
Crook and Flail
The twin symbols of pharaonic authority, representing the shepherd's care and the threshing of enemies.
The crook and flail were the twin symbols of pharaonic authority, representing the shepherd's care and the threshing of enemies, though whether the flail began as a whip, fly whisk or farm tool is debated. They began as emblems of Andjety, god of Busiris in the Delta, and passed to Osiris, who holds them crossed on his chest as king of the dead. Pharaohs held them at coronations and in burial; Tutankhamun's pair survives in Cairo.
Horus, Osiris's heir, takes them with the throne. In The Divine Birth of the Pharaoh, Amun takes them up to pass as the king, and Osiris bears them in Osiris: King of the Dead.
Quick questions
What is Crook and Flail?
The twin symbols of pharaonic authority, representing the shepherd's care and the threshing of enemies.
Which mythology does Crook and Flail belong to?
Crook and Flail belongs to Egyptian mythology.
Who owns Crook and Flail?
Osiris owns Crook and Flail.
Who wields Crook and Flail?
In the myths, Amun and Horus wield Crook and Flail.
Which myths feature Crook and Flail?
The myths that feature Crook and Flail are “Osiris: King of the Dead” and “The Divine Birth of the Pharaoh”.
