amulet;
necklace
- Museum number
- EA59619
- Description
-
A royal amulet: it is an amulet having on the obverse in high relief the head of a panther or lion. The reverse, which is flat, has in sunk relief of a name in hieroglyphs. The name is flanked by serpents also in sunk relief, one wearing the white crown, the other the red crown. As the amulet is pierced vertically and again through the ears, which act as lugs, it is probable that it was an element of a necklace.
The fabric is the compact, fine-grained type with hard texture and dark colour, matt surface. The colour was doubtless originally blue but has turned dark green.
- Dimensions
-
Length: 2 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Inscription subject
royal
- Curator's comments
- A rather famous piece which has often been discussed. While this type of Egyptian blue could have been produced in the Seventeenth Dynasty, it is certainly much more typical of a relatively late date. It is also difficult to associate the very fine quality of this piece with the Seventeenth Dynasty which was not noted for delicacy of execution in the minor arts. The amulet is probably archaizing work.
Bibliography:
Not listed in 'Slade'. 'AEE' 1934, pt. I, 15;
H. E. Winlock, 'The Rise and Fall of the Middle Kingdom at Thebes' (New York, 1947), 112.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1873
- Department
- Egypt and Sudan
- BM/Big number
- EA59619
- Registration number
- 1873,0329.1
