Aten Cartouche Amulet

Amulet in the shape of a cartouche. The glaze is a deep cobalt blue. Two holes at either end enter on the edge and exit on the back of the amulet near the edge. The cartouche is one of the two cartouches used for the Aten and is translated: Ra-Horakhty lives, rejoicing in the horizon.

Small amulets made of faience, stone, ceramic, metal, or glass were common personal possessions in ancient Egypt. They were most frequently fashioned in the form of gods and goddesses or of animals sacred to them.

Amulets were believed to give their owners magical protection from a wide variety of ills and evil forces, including sickness, infertility, and death in childbirth. They were often provided with loops so they could be strung and worn as a necklace.

Some amulets were made to place on the body of the deceased to protect the soul in the hereafter. Transliteration of Hieroglyphs: ‘n r‘-r-ty ri m t Translation: Ra-Horakhty lives, rejoicing in the horizon.

New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, Amarna Period, reign of Akhenaten, ca. 1353-1336 BC. Made of Egyptian faience (glazed composition). Dimensions: H x W x D: 2 x 1 x 0.3 cm (13/16 x 3/8 x 1/8 in). Now in the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution. F1907.165