Amulet

Gold Amulet of the God Nehebkau

Amulet of the God Nehebkau

Nehebkau, often depicted as a male with a snake head, was originally the explanation of the cause of binding of Ka and Ba after death. Thus his name, which means (one who) brings together Ka and Ba. Since these aspects of the soul were said to bind after death, Nehebkau was said to have guarded...

Amulet of Amun

Amulet of the god Amun

Similar amulet pendants of Amun have been recovered from the royal tombs at Kurru and Nuri in Sudan, and Nubian royalty is often depicted wearing similarly impressive decorations. On the back of the figure is a loop for a chain so that the amulet could be worn around the neck. The figure shows the god...

Sema Symbol Amulet

Sema Symbol Amulet

A stone amulet representing the Sema, or Sma, a symbol for indicating a union. It depicts the lower and upper kingdoms of Egypt and their unity. It is often described as a pair of lungs attached to a windpipe, genitalia, and sometimes both simultaneously. The Sema was often placed on a mummy’s chest in order...

Wadjet Eye Amulet

Wadjet Eye Amulet

One of the most popular amulets in ancient Egypt, the wadjet eye amulet represents the healed eye of the god Horus. It depicts a combination of a human and a falcon eye, since Horus was often associated with a falcon. Its ancient Egyptian name, wadjet, means “the one that is sound (again).” In Egyptian mythology...

Winged Scarab Beetle Amulet

Winged Scarab Beetle Amulet

This winged scarab beetle amulet is made of electrum. The wings are not those of a beetle, but those of a bird, as is apparent by their shape and the indication of individual feathers. Winged scarabs, meant to guarantee the rebirth of the deceased, were very popular funerary amulets. A series of animals depicting deities...

Electrum Falcon Pendant of the God Horus

Pendant Amulet of the God Horus

Horus was the symbol of the king and his protector, on this pendant amulet he is shown wearing the Double Pschent Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, the symbol of kingship. The falcon’s wings are folded, and he perches on a schematic version of the traditional block border motif. The pendant was formed of two...

Gold and enamel scarab amulet

Gold and enamel scarab amulet

This scarab amulet is made of gold, a metal strongly associated with the sun. The blue enamel symbolizes the life-giving waters of the Nile. Scarab amulets were frequently wound into a mummy’s bandages to protect the deceased and ensure rebirth. The ancient Egyptians understood the sun god to manifest himself in multiple forms, chiefly those...

Egyptian Blue Winged Scarab

Egyptian Blue Winged Scarab Amulet

Molded winged scarab amulet of blue glassy faience, with separate wings, of a type that was mass-produced in the first millennium BC. Flat and schematically modeled, it was intended to be incorporated into a beadwork mummy shroud. Mounted together with fabric backing. This scarab is rather coarsely modeled, although every detail of the body is...

Humanoid Khepri Scarab

Humanoid Khepri Scarab Amulet

A rare figure of the Egyptian scarab beetle creator god Khepri, with a human head and arms emerging from a scarab’s exoskeleton. The so-called heart scarabs had to protect the heart of the deceased. According to ancient Egyptians, the heart contained the intellect and emotions. For this reason, it should have been preserved in the...

Two finger amulet. Metropolitan Museum of Art. 66.99.182

Two finger Amulet

This two finger amulet depicts stylized human fingers that are about life-size. Two-finger amulets were used exclusively for the dead and were often found on the lower left of the torso. This is the area of the incision that was made during the mummification process in order to remove the internal organs. These amulets were...