An amulet, also known as a good luck charm, is an object believed to confer protection upon its possessor. The "Amulets of Ancient Egypt" fall in approximately seven major categories:
Amulets of gods/goddesses and sacred animals Amulets of protection (or aversion) The scarab for the living, (or for a funerary offering) Amulets of assimilation Amulets for powers Amulets of possessions, property, or as offerings (symbolism of materials)
The first usages are from time periods of: ED, Early Dynastic Period, FIP, First Intermediate Period, G-R, Graeco-Roman Period, LD, Late Dynastic Period, MK, Middle Kingdom, NK, New Kingdom, OK, Old Kingdom, SIP, Second Intermediate Period, and TIP, Third Intermediate Period.
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes Papyrus stem (hieroglyph)(scarab at left) udjtutchat 5th Dynasty Mastaba One of the 14 Spirits of Ra-(no 5); meanings of youth, viguor Girdle of Isis/Knot of IsisTyet(and Djed Pillar) tyt Flinders Petrie 5th Dynasty Mastaba
Amulets of protection Amulets of protection: animals, gods, goddesses, etc.
Ankh Amulet S34-(life-symbol)
(seated)-block statue of: Cuboid Statue of Tety called Tetyty,Keller, 2000. Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, 2000. Egyptian Treasure from the British Museum, Statue of Tety, p. 44-45. (photo), British Museum
Amulet Egyptian. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes Ankh-Amuleton necklace 'n(kh) British Museum, acquired by E. A. Wallis Budge 1475BC Karnak-(?) protection, or honorary amuletpart of hieroglyph-statement-theme: an(kh)-hot(e)p(+ on right and left hands: symbols of Upper and Lower Egypt + Sun + Moon); modern meaning: Enjoy: Life & Peace, everywhere the Sun and Moon is present,Keller, 2000; Statue of Tety, p. 45. (all of Egypt)see wikicommons: Block statues of Egypt
Bes Amulet D2-(gardiner-(unlisted))-(sometimes-just-(face-of-bes))
(shiny boxwood statuette) Young Girl, (shaved head with youth side lock), Carrying oversized Pot The Durham Servant Girl, (photo, Durham Museum)
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes medium-sized Bes Amuleton necklace Durham University Museumacquired after 1816, by Lord Algernon Percy (reign of Amenhotep III) from pit, near TT52owned by First Prophet of Amun, MeryPtah protection, or honorary amulet(no photo, at presentReeves, 2000, Ancient Egypt, The Great Discoveries, a Year-by-Year Chronicle, 1816-1818, p. 19.) for God of Children, or Youthboxwood, small cosmetic container-(in non-standard/expressionist style)
Eye of Horus Amulet D10-(eye-of-horus)
Gayer-Anderson cat, (donated to British Museum)
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes Plaque-Necklaceas Eye-of-Horus Amulet (Late Period of Egypt) cat, as cat-Goddess BastetBritish Museum
Eye of Horus Amulet, Thoth-Baboon statues D10-(eye-of-horus)
Thoth-as Baboon, (Louvre)
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes Plaque-Necklaceas Eye-of-Horus Amulet baboon, as god-ThothLouvre (no. E17496)
Other types of plaque-necklaces on Thoth-baboon:
3-Fox-Skins
F31-(three-fox-skins)
vertical Painted Relief Panel of Iry,Keller, 2000. Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, 2000. Egyptian Treasure from the British Museum, Relief Panel of Iry, p. 40-41. Scribe, ((correct vertical)-Painted Panel Relief of Iry. )
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes 3-fox skinson necklace ms, "born of"examples: Pharaoh Ahmose: "Moon-Born", or: Kamose, "Spirit-Born" 4th Dynasty(2613–2589 BC) Iry's Tomb, Saqqara protection(?), or honorary amulet(?) --- (Actual Photo of Iry's Panel, see British Museum page) (photo shown of similar vertical panel, same period of hieroglyphs: wood panel of Hesy-Ra)
Fringed-Fabric ligatured w/ vertical S-(folded cloth) S28-(fringed-fabric-with-(vertical-s-folded-cloth))
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes Fringed-Fabric with S folded cloth-Symbol on necklace Narmer Palette,Predynastic Egypt or Old Kingdom the palette is from Hierakonopolis behind Pharaoh Narmer, attendant carrying "pair of sandals": his title from necklace: Steward of the Pharaoh's Wardrobenecklace of authority(see expanded version: Attendant of Pharaoh Narmer)
Heart amulet F34-(heart)
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes Heart Amulet on necklace TT55, tomb of Ramose (TT55), (in Theban Tomb 55) Necklace with Heart-shaped amuletCentral Figure, under 2-opposite-facing Water Libation vessels streaming Water-streams.Usekh collar, double-stranded necklace w/ large amulet laying upon the collar.Wikicommons, Tomb of Ramose
Pectoral Necklace S11-.-S17A-(pectoral-on-necklace-(approximate)
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes Pectoralon necklace Louvre Museum suspension loop--(for necklace)
Unidentified amulet
F31-(three-fox-skins)
(two statues) Prince Rahotep, and wife Nofret
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes possibly:3-fox skinson necklace(for husband: Prince Rahotep-wife Nofret has a Usekh collar-type necklace) 4th Dynasty(2613–2589 BC) the couple's Mastaba at Meidum protection(?), or honorary amulet(?)
Amulet necklace statues of Senusret III
O39-(unknown)-.-F29-(f29-(pierced-hide) – (created by Senusret III(?), or from Kush country(?))Statues of Senusret III
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes pierced object amuleton necklace 12th Dynasty(ca 1850 BC)(post Kush campaigns(?)) Senusret III statue at British Museum protection(?), or honorary amulet(?)found on multiple statues
Scarab amulets
Amulets of assimilation
2-Wine-Jars
W21-(two-wine-vessels)
(tomb relief) Maya (Egyptian) w/Staff and hieroglyph inscriptions–(Tomb of Maya)
Amulet Egy. lang. equiv Discovered by Usage-or-Origin City/cemetery Notes 2-Wine-Jars amuleton necklace irp, 'wine'(Det.) Geoffrey Martin1986-(Re-working of Saqqara tombs-newly discovered tomb)Reeves, 2000, Ancient Egypt, The Great Discoveries, a Year-by-Year Chronicle, 1975: New Kingdom Tombs at Saqqara, pp. 215-219, Other tombs - and Maya, pp. 218-219. Tomb of MayaMaya was Treasurer of Tutankhamun Abundance(no photo link, at present)(see Pectoral (Ancient Egypt))
References
Andrews, Carol, 1994. Amulets of Ancient Egypt, chapter 4: Scarabs for the living and funerary scarabs, pp 50–59, Andrews, Carol, c 1993, University of Texas Press, 518 amulets, 1, or multiples included in 12 necklaces; (softcover, ) Keller, 2000. Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, c 2000. Egyptian Treasure from the British Museum, Peter Keller, (Bowers), Robert Anderson, (British Museum), Carol A.R. Andrews, (British Museum), Relief Panel of Iry, p. 40-41. (softcover, ) Reeves, 2000. Ancient Egypt, The Great Discoveries, a Year-by-Year Chronicle, Nicholas Reeves, (Thames and Hudson Ltd, London), c 2000. 1975: New Kingdom Tombs at Saqqara, pp. 215–219, Other tombs - and Maya, pp. 218–219. (1816-18): After 1816, The Durham Servant Girl, p. 19. (hardcover, )
External links Attendant of Pharaoh Narmer, Wikicommons The Durham Servant Girl-(photo), a boxwood kohl pot-(for kohl), Ancient Egyptian cosmetic containers; Article (vertical)-Painted Panel Relief of Iry. Tomb of Ramose