Catfish Pendant

This exquisite pendant in the form of a catfish is a testament to the artistry of Middle Kingdom jewellers (c. 2030–1650 B.C.). Though fashioned in miniature, it combines both beauty and protective power, embodying the Egyptian belief that objects of adornment could also serve as charms. Catfish, creatures of the Nile’s depths, were associated with the dangers of water; pendants such as this were thought to guard the wearer against drowning. A small suspension loop, extending from the fish’s mouth, allowed it to hang vertically when worn.

Fishing in Ancient Egypt

Barely one and a half inches (four centimetres) in length, the piece astonishes with its meticulous detail. The craftsman captured the fine pores of the lateral line, the sharp ray of the dorsal fin, the mottled texture of the head, and the delicate comb of spines set between the eye and the triangular gill cover. Most striking of all are the fish’s barbels, or “whiskers”, emerging from the mouth with lifelike precision. In its elegance and naturalism, the pendant unites artistry with amuletic force, shimmering proof of how Egyptians wove magic and meaning into the smallest of treasures.

The naturalistic form of this piece identifies it as a Synodontis batensoda, commonly called the upside-down catfish. The accuracy of its features with the broad head, whisker-like barbels, and dorsal fin, shows how closely Egyptian craftsmen observed the creatures of the Nile.

Catfish are among the most diverse fish on earth, with thousands of species spread across every continent but Antarctica. Their unusual habits and hardy nature made them a familiar sight in the Nile’s floodwaters, where they survived even in the shallowest pools. To the Egyptians, who were among the most animal-conscious peoples of the ancient world, such qualities gave the catfish a presence that was both practical and symbolic. It was a common food fish for the majority of the population, yet its distinctive form (especially the barbels and spined fins) also lent itself to amuletic jewellery.

Catfish (and other fish) in Ancient Egypt

This pendant captures that duality perfectly: it is at once a finely crafted ornament and a charm of protection, its golden body embodying the very essence of the Nile fish that sustained and intrigued the Egyptians throughout their history.

Summary:

Catfish Pendant (Gold over a core of unknown material)

Middle Kingdom, Late 12th-Early 13th Dynasty, c. 2030–1650 B.C.

National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh. Inv. 1914.1079