Gleaming and delicately incised, this slender gold plaque once rested upon the embalmed body of king Psusennes I, positioned directly over the visceral incision, that necessary but vulnerable breach made by the embalmers to remove the internal organs during mummification. In both symbolism and execution, this exquisite object exemplifies the deeply spiritual and ritualistic concern...
This amulet depicts two finger that are about life-size. Two finger amulets were used exclusively for the dead and were often found placed on the embalming incision, which was made during the mummification process. These amulets were meant magically to heal the wound. The first examples of this amulet type date to 26th Dynasty, ca....
This elegant, tiny amulet of beaten gold in the shape of a human-headed bird represents the Ba. It symbolizes the immortal soul, which is invoked to come back after death and “to attach itself to its corpse in the god’s domain,” according to the Book of the Dead, Spell number 89. It was charged with...
