Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Djed Pillar Amulets

I absolutely love amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ because I love tiny π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© things! The MET has an incredible collection of amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ, and I feel like most people just walk by them because they’re so small π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…©! But even small π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© objects can tell incredible stories about history!

In ancient Egyptian religion and culture, amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ were thought to have magical π“Ž›π“‚“π“„Ώπ“œ powers and bestow them upon its wearer. Worn by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, different amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ served various religious and protective functions. Amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ were usually made of faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό, which is a cheap and easy material to work with. Most faience π“‹£π“ˆ–π“π“Έπ“Ό pieces have a green/blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color. This is because these colors were thought to represent life π“‹Ή and regeneration.

The djed pillar π“Š½ was associated with Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­ and his regenerative powers and is thus considered an amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…† of power. The djed pillars π“Š½ are usually blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸π“₯ or green 𓇅𓄿𓆓𓏛 in color to represent the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί. These amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ date back to the Old Kingdom, and were used throughout Egyptian history. In the New Kingdom, they were strung around the neck of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. In hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ, the djed π“Š½ symbol means β€œstability” or β€œenduring.”

The djed pillar π“Š½ has also been thought to represent the spine of Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­, as referenced in The Book of the Dead: β€œRaise yourself up Osiris. You have your backbone once more, weary-hearted One; you have bones.”