The hare is a recurring animal motif in Coptic textiles, with a long history of use in both Egyptian decorative arts and tombs. The god Osiris was sometimes depicted with the head of a hare in his role as Un-nefer. As a standard hieroglyphic phonetic sign, the hare represented the essence of life. The cape hare or desert hare, known to inhabit Egypt since ancient times, was renowned for swiftness and keen senses—attributes seen metaphorically as defenses against the forces of darkness.