Pectoral of King Amenemope

The central feature of this pectoral is a lapis lazuli scarab pushing the sun-disc with its front legs, while the rear legs hold the cartouche of King Amenemope. To either side, the goddesses Isis and Nephthys protect him.

At the bottom of the pectoral an inscription provides the name of the king. The frame of the piece presents a winged sun-disc at the top. The pectoral is in the form of a shrine with two lateral pillars and a hollowed molding containing the winged sun disk.

The netjer nefer epithet, “the perfect god” and the name of Amenemope in the cartouche are engraved in gold on the base where the two sister goddesses, Isis and Nephthys, kneel on the right and left respectively. They support a lapis lazuli scarab that holds a gold sun disk in its front feet and the king’s cartouche between its back feet. A small gold plaque in front of each goddess states her name. Two rings on the upper edge of the molding were used to attach a chain on which the pectoral was hung.

This pectoral, a large piece of jewelry worn on the chest of King Amenemope, is in the form of a shrine topped by a cavetto cornice with two lateral pillars and a hollowed molding containing the winged solar disk. In the center of the pendant there is a scarab of lapis lazuli representing the rebirth of the sun. It is flanked by the two protective goddesses, Isis and Nephthys. Below the scarab is the cartouche of the king.

Third Intermediate Period, 21st Dynasty, ca. 1069-945 BC. Gold and lapis lazuli; Height 9.8 cm, width 10.6 cm. Excavation by P Montet (1940). Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 86037