This is a very unique piece (not the cute little hippo 𓌉𓏏𓃯)!
This artifact is referred to as an “Apotropaic Rod” or “Magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 Rod” which means that it is an object that has the power to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 or bad luck. This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom (c. 1678-1640 B.C.E.) which was during the reign 𓋾 of Senwosret III 𓇳𓈍𓂓𓂓𓂓 (Dynasty 12).
This piece is composed of multiple (four 𓏽) segments that are all joined together. This is the only Magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 Rod that has been found of this type, and luckily it is completely preserved! In ancient Egyptian magic, animals that were considered to be dangerous, such as lions 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓄛𓏦, hippos 𓌉𓏏𓃯𓏦, and crocodiles 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌𓏦 could be used in amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 or wand to induce protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 on the person. There are also some cute frogs 𓈎𓂋𓂋𓆏𓏦!! These animals can be seen as figures on the top of the wand!
There is also a turtle 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉 amongst the other predatory animals on the top-center of the rod, so were turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 considered predatory? In ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 were seen as an ambiguous force because they were creatures of both land 𓇾 and water 𓈗. Turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 were also seen as the enemy of Ra 𓇳𓏺𓁛, and in chapter 162 of the Book of the Dead, it is stated that “May Ra live, and may the turtle die.” The turtles 𓈙𓏏𓄿𓆉𓏦 that lived in the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺 were mostly nocturnal, which is probably why they were considered to be Ra’s 𓇳𓏺𓁛 enemy.
Carved into the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 underneath the figures are other protective 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 symbols such as the Wedjat 𓂀 or “Eye of Horus,” and baboons. There is also an image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a crocodile 𓅓𓋴𓎛𓆌 and what looks like a lioness 𓌳𓁹𓄿𓏏𓄛!
Here’s another example of an Egyptian “Magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 Wand,” which is more commonly referred to as an “Apotropaic Wand.”
This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom (c. 1981-1640 B.C.E. Dynasty 12-13) and wands such as these were common to find amongst burial equipment in Middle Kingdom tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦. These type of “Magic Wands” are a lot more common than the one I posted about previously!
This “Magic Wand” is made out of hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯 ivory. Since the tusks is the most dangerous and powerful part of the hippopotamus 𓌉𓏏𓃯, this object symbolically has the power to ward off evil 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨 or bad luck. Not only is the ivory powerful, but the deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 depicted are also carry knives in order to ward off evil forces 𓃀𓇋𓈖𓏏𓅨! Taweret 𓏏𓄿𓅩𓂋𓏏𓆗, Nekhbet 𓇑𓃀𓏏𓅐𓎟, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 are all shown!
There are also some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the Magic Wand! Some Magic Wands contain longer inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the back (not this one though)! Many of these inscriptions 𓏟𓏛𓏥 indicate that these wands were used as a protective amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 during childbirth, but they were placed in tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏦 to help the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 at his/her rebirth.
Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
𓍲𓉔𓂋𓅱𓏺𓇳 – Protection of Day
𓍲𓎼𓂋𓎛𓇱 – Protection of Night
Night can also be written as: 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓄛 or 𓄛.
Day can also be written as: 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳
Ancient Egyptian magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 is so incredibly fascinating!