Categories
Egyptian Artifacts

Broad Collars

The ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ loved jewelry! In Egyptian art, the wealthy and upper class people were always depicted wearing elaborate jewelry as a way to show their status. The gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ and goddesses π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ are also often depicted wearing a lot of beautiful π“„€ jewelry.

One of the most popular types of jewelry amongst the elite – including the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and royal family is known as the broad collar π“…±π“‹΄π“π“ŽΊπ“‹. In Middle Egyptian, the word for broad collar was π“…±π“‹΄π“π“ŽΊπ“‹ (pronounced β€œwesekh) or simply just the determinative hieroglyph 𓋝 could be used for the whole word.

Broad Collars at the MET

The broad collar π“…±π“‹΄π“π“ŽΊπ“‹ was the necklace of choice by both the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ and the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 and it reached peak popularity during the 18th Dynasty. The broad collar π“…±π“‹΄π“π“ŽΊπ“‹ was also given to people of high rank or officials π“‹΄π“‚‹π“€€π“ͺ as a mark of honor. Broad collars π“…±π“‹΄π“π“ŽΊπ“‹π“¦ could be made of many different types of materials, including gold π“‹žπ“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰π“ƒ‰, but the ones shown in this picture are made of faience beads.

Many mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾π“ͺ have also been found buried wearing the broad collar π“…±π“‹΄π“π“ŽΊπ“‹! You gotta look good in the afterlife too 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐!!