An Indo-Greek Anguiped from Mathura, India (known as a Vyala Yaksha)
The Anguiped (Latin: angui, 'snake'; ped-, 'foot') is a kind of divinity that is often found on magical amulets from the Greco-Roman period, and is characterized by having serpents for legs. Anguipeds feature prominently in Indo-Greek culture, with Anguipeds being represented on their sculptures and coinage.
Description[]
Abraxas, the most common kind of Anguiped, is depicted as a creature with the head of a rooster and snakes for legs, symbolism thought to be of Persian origin.
Judaism[]
Sometimes inscribed below is Iao, a form of the Tetragrammaton – the four letters used to represent the name of the God of Judaism. Such amulets, as well as the repeated usage of the name Iao in magical papyri, curse tablets, gems, and other amulets, provide evidence of syncretic cults combining elements of Judaism with paganism. In the Talmud, people who turned away from Judaism to such cults are referred to as minim – often translated as "heretics" or "apostates".
Indo-Greek culture[]
Coinage of Telephus Euergetes featuring a Anguiped
Anguipeds were prevalent in Indo-Greek culture. The feature prominently in Indo-Greek sculptures, such as an example from circa 1st century BCE in the Government Museum of Mathura. This is known as the Vyala Yaksha in Sanskrit. Anguipeds were also found on Indo-Greek coinage; notably, they were featured coins of Indo-Greek ruler Telephus Euergetes.