- Description
-
Mould-made amuletic figure in glazed composition, representing the hippopotamus-headed goddess Taweret; in striding pose with arms on her sides and a long tail decorated with incised chevrons; small loop pierced widthwise, above head, for suspension; relatively well modelled representation, even though slightly schematic; light turquoise glaze well preserved; almost complete, right leg slightly chipped.
- Production date
- 664 BC - 332 BC (possibly)
- Dimensions
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Height: 3.80 centimetres
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Width: 1.10 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- According to the Egypt Exploration Fund list, the Redpath Museum received in 1887 several "paste objects" from the Scarab Factory, along with two moulds. This amulet might come from such a context.
Taweret is well represented in the faience amulets from Naukratis (Masson forthcoming a). Associated with the protection of pregnancy and child birth (Andrews 1994, 40; Herrmann et al. 2010, 80-82), Taweret amulets are already documented in the Old Kingdom (Ferrari 1996, 40) and are particularly common in Egyptian settlements of the Late and Ptolemaic Periods (for example: Giddy 1992, pl. 52, 78/1, pl. 53, 78/85, pl. 77, 78/1, 78/85; Wilson 1982, 30, pl. XXVIII n°9-10; Masson forthcoming b).
Andrews, C. 1994, Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London.
Ferrari, D. 1996, Gli amuleti dell’antico Egitto (Piccola biblioteca di egitologia 3).
Giddy, L.L. 1992, The Anubieion at Saqqâra II. The Cemeteries, EES 56, 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.
Masson, A. forthcoming a, ‘Naukratis: Egyptian offerings in context’, in M. Bergeron and A. Masson (eds.), Naukratis in Context II: Cults, Sanctuaries and Offerings. Proceedings of the Second Naukratis Project Workshop held at The British Museum, 22nd-23rd June 2013.
Masson, A. forthcoming b, Le quartier des prêtres sur la rive est du Lac Sacré à Karnak.
Wilson, K.L. 1982, Cities of the Delta, Part II: Mendes – Preliminary Report on the 1979 and 1980 Seasons (American Research Center in Egypt Report 5), Malibu.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Relatively fair, slightly chipped
- Department
- External
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: 2501.01 (Accession Number)
