The Red Crown of Lower Egypt (Amulet)

The Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 of Lower Egypt 𓆤 (left) was the headdress that was associated with the area of Lower Egypt 𓆤 (North) while the White Crown 𓄤𓋑 (middle) was associated with the area of Upper Egypt 𓇓 (South). Combined, the two 𓏻 crowns represented a United Egypt (right). The combined crown is on a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 that most likely represents the god 𓊹 Horus 𓅃𓀭! Today I am going to focus on the Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 because it is a favorite of mine!

Known as the deshret to the ancient Egyptians, the Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 in amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 form was considered to be an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 of power. The word “deshret” in Middle Egyptian could both refer to the color red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟, or the desert 𓅟𓂋𓏏𓈊/𓈊𓏏𓏺. Sometimes, Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 was even referred to as the “Red Land” in ancient Egyptian texts.

While the Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 was first worn by the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Narmer 𓆢𓍋, it was only first seen in amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 form during the First Intermediate Period. The Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 of Lower Egypt is a cylindrical headpiece with a tall spike in the back and a long spiral in the front. This crown has been named the “red crown” by Egyptologists because it is usually depicted in a red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 color in Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 art. While usually depicted in red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟, most amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are in the blue/green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color that is typical of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼.

In ancient Egypt, red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 was considered a powerful color because it is associated with blood, in particular the blood of Isis. While the Red Crown 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓏏𓋔 (and all other crowns) would have only been worn by a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 in the shape of crowns would imbue the wearer (even if they were a commoner or non-royal) with the same power or authority as a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 or god 𓊹.