Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are some of my favorite objects because I love tiny things! My Nonno always pointed out the Djed Pillar 𓊽 amulets in museums!
The Djed Pillar 𓊽 is representative of stability and is one of the oldest types of amulets, dating back to the Old Kingdom! It is thought to represent the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭! Since the Djed Pillars 𓊽 are associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, they are usually used in funerary contexts. They were usually laid across the lower torso of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾. Most of the time, Djed Pillar 𓊽 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 appears in a green/blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color, which is used to represent the regeneration. Blue and green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 are the colors of regeneration because they are associated with the Nile 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺.
The scarab is the personification is the god Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛, the creator. The scarab amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were said to be the most powerful of amulets because the the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the dung beetle (which the scarab was fashioned after) was capable of eternal regeneration. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 symbolizes a “life cycle” – birth, death, and rebirth in the afterlife. This cycle was essential to Egyptian religious beliefs, as Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 spent their lives preparing for death and entering the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.
This special amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 is known as a Heart Scarab! This particular Heart Scarab belonged to Hatnefer 𓄂𓄤𓁐, who was the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼! Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 was Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 most trusted advisor (amongst other things 😉)!
Heart Scarab of Hatnefer at the MET
In ancient Egyptian culture, the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not only the center of a person’s life 𓋹, but also thinking, memory, and moral values. The heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was not removed during the mummification process, because the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 person would need it on their journey through the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The person’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 would be weighed against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄𓏺 by Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣, and that would determine if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 would be presented to Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and then enter the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖, or eternal 𓆖 life 𓋹. This was called the “Weighing of the Heart,” and it is something I have written extensively about!
So how does the Heart Scarab play into this? In modern terms, the Heart Scarab could be seen as a “cheat code” for getting past the “Weighing of the Heart” – this special scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is inscribed 𓎘𓅱𓎖 with Chapter 30A from the Book of the Dead (most are inscribed with Chapter 30B). In this spell, the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 asks their own heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 to not betray them during the “Weighing of the Heart.”
Basically, the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 feared the outcome of their final judgement so they developed this amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 as a way to ensure a positive outcome to the scales!
Here is an excerpt from Chapter 30A: “ Do not stand against me as witness beside the lords of the ritual, Do not say against me, he did do it, about my actions, Do not make a case against me beside the great god, Hail my heart, Hail my heart…”
The god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭(or Djehuty to the ancient Egyptians) was originally god 𓊹 of the moon, but then became associated with writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥 and knowledge. He was also the god 𓊹 of scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪. The moon could be thought of as a “night sun,” which kind of places him as an opposite of the sun 𓇳𓏺 god 𓊹 Re 𓇳𓏺𓁛. Thoth 𓅤𓀭 is also credited with inventing the 365-day calendar!
Thoth Amulets at the MET
Thoth 𓅤𓀭 was thought to have invented writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥, and was thus the god 𓊹 of all record keeping. Due to his vast knowledge, Thoth 𓁟 was thought to know magic and secrets that were unknown to the rest of the gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 in the Egyptian pantheon. In the Book of the Dead, Thoth 𓅤𓀭 is at the extremely important Weighing of the Heart – which is the judgement of the deceased’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 against Ma’at’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather. His job was to record the results of the ceremony.
Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 was usually represented as a man 𓊃𓀀𓏤 with an ibis head (𓁟), an ibis 𓉔𓃀𓅤 or a baboon. In this photograph, there are many faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 statues of Thoth 𓅤𓀭 as a baboon. These were very popular amongst scribes 𓏟𓀀𓏪, and amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 were worn by the living to invoke wisdom!
Thoth can be written as: 𓅤𓀭, 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭, 𓁟. He also had various titles such as “Lord of the Divine Words,” “Three Times Great,” and “Lord of Ma’at” amongst many others!
These are four 𓏽 faience amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 that represent the four Sons of Horus.
Here, they are depicted as mummiform figures and while amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 could be worn by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, these specific amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were most likely used by the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. While the Sons of Horus were first mentioned in the Pyramid Texts, these amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 are dated between The Late Period and the Roman Period (664 B.C.E.-after 30 B.C.E.).
After the 18th Dynasty, the Four Sons of Horus were associated with being the heads on canopic jars which would guard the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. While each were associated with an organ 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹, they were also each associated with a cardinal direction and were protected by a funerary goddess𓊹𓏏.
(From Left) Imsety 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋 had the head of a human, protected the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸, was associated with the South 𓇔𓅱𓏏 and was protected by Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥.
Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑 had the head of a jackal, protected the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, was associated with the East 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭, and was protected by Neith 𓈖𓏏𓋌𓀭.
Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 had the head of a falcon, protected the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼, was associated with the West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊, and was protected by Selket 𓊃𓂋𓈎𓏏𓁐.
Hapy 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌 had the head of a baboon, protected the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺, was associated with the North 𓎔𓏏, and was protected by Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇.
I love ancient Egyptian amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 – probably because I love tiny objects! Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were small objects wrapped within the bandages on a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 or worn by a living person. The purpose of the amulets was to protect the wearer with magic powers that were specific to that amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆. The amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were also supposed to aid in resurrection. Here in the British Museum, they had quite a nice display of some faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! I love faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 pieces because I love their blue-green 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color! I also like this display because you can see different style variations!
The wedjat 𓂀 (Eye of Horus) is a very common symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 and regeneration. The wedjat 𓂀 symbol was used by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱! Many people wore wedjat 𓂀 necklaces or rings 𓂝𓈖𓏏𓋪𓏦 in order to invoke its powers of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. This very much shows how religion and fashion were very much related in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!
The Isis knot 𓎬 is representative of a tied piece of cloth and is associated with the blood of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 (hence why red colored stones are usually used to make these amulets). It is a symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, and was usually placed at the neck of the deceased. Knots in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 were thought to release magic.
This little string of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 is a necklace that was either worn by a living person or a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! No matter who was wearing it, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 had the same function: to invoke magical protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the wearer! Both rich and poor people had amulets, but the rich had higher quality ones.
Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were first used in Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 during the pre-dynastic period and usually took the shape of animals. As the Egyptian civilization and their religious beliefs evolved, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 started to represent gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, everyday objects, hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰, and many other things!
The Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 believed that the type of magic that an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 possessed was based off of its shape! For example, an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 could invoke the power of a god 𓊹 that it was representative of! You can see the Eye of Horus 𓂀 amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, and that was used for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱!
I do not know the date of the amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, and I actually couldn’t find this piece in Petrie’s online catalogue when I went to look it up! I love amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 and I find this necklace to be very charming! I want one like it because of “how beautiful it is 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓇑𓇑.”
The ancient Egyptians used amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 a lot in both their daily life and afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! No matter who was wearing it, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 had the same function: to invoke magical protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the wearer! Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 could represent gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, everyday objects, hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, plants 𓆾𓆰𓆰𓆰, and many other things!
In this display at the British Museum, there are a bunch of different amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 featured! The Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 amulet (3) is considered unusual because it shows Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 sitting on a throne wearing the Atef crown 𓋚, just how he would be depicted in the Book of the Dead or on various reliefs. The Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 amulets were the most popular form of funerary jewelry and were tasked with overall protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱.
The Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 amulet (4) was most likely only used by the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱 because of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 association with mummification and tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐. It most likely protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the body of the dead to ensure the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 could make it to the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐.
The Triad Amulet (5) (sometimes referred to as the Ossirian Triad) is a representation of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 (goddess 𓊹𓏏 of healing and magic), Horus 𓅃𓀭 (god 𓊹 of the sky and the protector of the ruler of Egypt), and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 (“Mistress of the House” and associated with vultures). Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 is the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of Horus 𓅃𓀭, the sister 𓌢𓈖𓏏 of Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇, and the wife 𓈟𓏏 of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. The amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 is representative of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇 protecting Horus 𓅃𓀭 and that protective power extends to the wearer. This amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 became very popular during the 26th Dynasty, and was usually used by mummies 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾𓏪 for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 on their journey into the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. The amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 was either placed on the chest, stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, or the thighs of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾.
The carpenter’s tools 𓊋 (16) are interesting because they might have guaranteed eternal 𓆖 righteousness and equilibrium. This is an example of an everyday object that had magical powers when an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆! These would have been placed on a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾!
The staircase amulets 𓊍 (17) represent the primordial mound from which all life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 was created. Here is the short version of the myth because it can be long/complicated and there are many versions:
The ancient Egyptian creation myth begins with endless dark water without any purpose or matter. Out of this dark water 𓈗, rose the primordial hill and the god 𓊹 Atum 𓇋𓏏𓂟𓀭 (or Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 in some of the myths). Then with his own shadow, Atum 𓇋𓏏𓂟𓀭 gave birth to Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 (god 𓊹 of the atmosphere/principles of life) and Tefenet 𓏏𓆑𓈖𓏏𓆗 (goddess 𓊹𓏏 of moisture/order). Since there was only the primordial hill, Shu 𓇋𓅱𓀭 and Tefenet 𓏏𓆑𓈖𓏏𓆗 gave birth to Geb 𓅭𓃀𓀭 (god of the Earth 𓇾𓇾) and Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭 (goddess of the sky 𓊪𓏏𓇯/cosmos). Geb 𓅭𓃀𓀭 and Nut 𓏌𓏏𓇯𓀭 eventually gave birth to the more recognizable gods – Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥, Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, and Nephthys 𓉠𓏏𓆇.
I absolutely love amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 because I love tiny 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 things! The MET has an incredible collection of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, and I feel like most people just walk by them because they’re so small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩! But even small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 objects can tell incredible stories about history!
In ancient Egyptian religion and culture, amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were thought to have magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 powers and bestow them upon its wearer. Worn by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, different amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 served various religious and protective functions. Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were usually made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, which is a cheap and easy material to work with. Most faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 pieces have a green/blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 color. This is because these colors were thought to represent life 𓋹 and regeneration.
The djed pillar 𓊽 was associated with Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and his regenerative powers and is thus considered an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 of power. The djed pillars 𓊽 are usually blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 or green 𓇅𓄿𓆓𓏛 in color to represent the Nile River 𓇋𓏏𓂋𓅱𓈗𓈘𓈇𓏺. These amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 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 𓊹𓌃𓏪, the djed 𓊽 symbol means “stability” or “enduring.”
The djed pillar 𓊽 has also been thought to represent the spine of Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭, as referenced in The Book of the Dead: “Raise yourself up Osiris. You have your backbone once more, weary-hearted One; you have bones.”
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.
Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣! One of Anubis’ 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 titles is, 𓇋𓏶𓅱𓏏𓐎𓊖, “He who is in the mummy wrappings” – which reminds me of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪!
Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were quite abundant during the Late – Ptolemaic Period (664–31 B.C.E.). These are made of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼, which was a popular material to make amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 out of because faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 is both easy to work with and very cheap. It was very easy to mass produce these types of amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪!
Funerary amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 such as these were often made in the form of deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 who had various roles in protecting 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 would be woven into the wrappings of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾, and placed in specific locations in the wrappings depending on its function. Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were magical 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜 items whose main role was protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜!
While some amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 were worn by the living, an amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 of Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 would have been worn only by the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. As Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 is the god 𓊹 of embalming/mummification and tombs/cemeteries, he was tasked with protecting 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. Since the body of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 needed to be preserved in order for them to reach the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐, Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 had a significant role in the deceased’s journey – which is where amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 in his likeness came into play! Amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪 commonly took the form of the power that they represented!
