The symbolism of this wadjet eye amulet was one of the most pervasive and powerful in ancient Egypt. Combining a human eye with the stylized markings of a falcon’s, it represents the healed eye of the god Horus that was known as the “Sound One.” It was a symbol of recovery and regeneration. As amulet...
In ancient Egypt, people wear carnelian to ward off the Evil Eye and instill peace. Frogs are a symbol of rebirth, creation and fecundity, most probably, when the frog amulet was worn by the living it brought fertility, while when it was placed on a mummy it favored its rebirth in the afterlife. The frog,...
Although he must have been nearly 50 years old when this portrait was carved, in this head sculpture, King Amenhotep III appears more youthful than ever. Over a round, curly wig he wears a diadem with side streamers adorned with uraei or rearing cobras bearing sun disks on their heads. The stone quartzite was associated...
The mummy of Lady Rai is one of the oldest known mummies uncovered in Egypt. She was discovered in 1881 and researchers estimate that she was about 30 – 40 years old when she died around 1530 BC. From the writings left behind about Lady Rai, we know that she was the nursemaid to Queen...
This pair of gold earrings, bearing the cartouche of King Ramesses XI, was found on a female mummy. They are formed of convex disks grooved along the edge and decorated with five uraei, or royal cobras, on the outer face. The three snakes in the middle bear a sun disk while the two outer ones...
This wooden bed is covered with gilded plaster designed to represent two elongated lionesses represent the goddess Mehit. According to the ancient Egyptian beliefs, Mehit was identified with Hathor, Sekhmet, and Isis and helped to cause the Nile flood when she was appeased. The eyes of these animals are inlaid with blue glass paste; the...
On this piece the uraeus cobra functions as the protector of the royal name, the name of king Amenhotep III “The Lord of Maat is Re” is in the center of the plaque. The top and center part of the inscription is written twice and the direction of the hieroglyphs was reversed. Only the very...
In this stele, Akhenaten is slouched on a low-backed, cushioned chair with side struts in the form of the ancient royal symbol for the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, which is partly obscured by the long sash of his pleated kilt. The Aten disk was above him, in the center of the stele. The...
After the discovery of the tomb of Kha by the Italian archaeologists, the Egyptian authorities insisted only on a small part of Kha’s finds so that a bronze lamp and its tall wooden support, breads, blocks of salt and 19 terracotta vases were retained by Egypt. All the rest of more than 500 items was...
This block of crystalline limestone once graced the railing of a stairway in a temple of the god Aten. It is in the form of a double cartouche, which usually enclosed the name of the king. In this relief instead, the cartouches contain the names of the sun disk Aten, the one god of king...
