amulet
- Description
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Amulet of a djed-pillar, symbolizing the spinal column of the funerary god Osiris and was the hieroglyphic symbol for stability; in glazed composition. Description from Boston records: 'Emblem of stability. The modelling carried all around. Rude lines. Very pale green glaze. Hole through the top'.
- Production date
- 6thC BC (?)
- Dimensions
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Height: 1.10 centimetres
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Width: 0.40 centimetres
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Depth: 0.30 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- This symbol of Osiris' backbone, associated to ideas of stability, is a very common funerary amulet.
On Djed pillar amulets see: Andrews 1994, 82-83; Herrmann et al. 2010, 147-148 (type 94).
Considering its context of discovery, this (deaccessioned) amulet should be dated to the 26th dynasty. However, the registers of the Museum of Fine Arts tend to allocate the Scarab Factory as a findspot for not only scarabs, scaraboids and their moulds, but also all types of amulets from Naukratis. Caution is therefore required for the dating and the findspot. Let's note that the records written (or at least supervised) by Amelia Edwards mention the Scarab Factory as the findspot too.
Andrews, C. 1994, Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London.
Herrmann, C., Staubli, T., Berger-Lober, S., Keel, O., Schönbächler, G. 2010, 1001 Amulett : altägyptischer Zauber, monotheisierte Talismane, säkulare Magie, Bibel+Orient-Museum, Liebefeld, Stuttgart.
- Location
- Not on display
- Department
- External
- Additional IDs
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Miscellaneous number: P.5259 (Pottery & Porcelain Ledger No.)
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Miscellaneous number: RES.86.315 (Accession Number)
