Digital Exhibition; Ancient Egypt
From the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, by Brenna Reistad
All information copied from museum plaques
Amulet of Ptaikos On The Crocodiles
Egyptian
ca. 2085-332 BC
Faience
L.27.41.47
ca. 2085-332 BC
Faience
L.27.41.47
Amulet of the God Bes
Egyptian
ca. 1085-332 BC
Faience
L.27.41.46
ca. 1085-332 BC
Faience
L.27.41.46
Amulet of the God Taurt
Egyptian
ca. 2085-332 BC
Faience
L.27.41.45
ca. 2085-332 BC
Faience
L.27.41.45
Amulet of the Goddess Sekhmet
Egyptian
ca. 2085-332 BC
Faience
L.27.41.42
ca. 2085-332 BC
Faience
L.27.41.42
Amulet Representing Pataikos
Egyptian
664-342 BC
Faience
84.47
664-342 BC
Faience
84.47
The dwarf Pataikos was a manifestation of Ptah, the creator-god of Memphis. This amulet’s modeling and detail are characteristic of much larger sculptures.
Falcon Amulet
Egyptian
664-525 BC
Onyx
57.34
664-525 BC
Onyx
57.34
Figure of Thoth
Egyptian
525-342 BC
Faience
85.1547
525-342 BC
Faience
85.1547
Thoth, the god who invented hieroglyphs, here takes the form of a man with the head of an ibis, Thoth’s sacred bird. The god of wisdom and learning, Thoth kept the divine archives. He was the gods’ scribe and the patron of human scribes.
Fish
Egyptian
1479-1425 BC
Ivory
57.33
1479-1425 BC
Ivory
57.33
Because they symbolize certain aspects of the funerary deities, fish shapes were also popular amulets. This one has a royal inscription, the cartouche of Menkheprure (Tuthmosis IV).
Foot Amulet
Egyptian
ca. 2649 – 2030 BC
Carnelian
2018.33
ca. 2649 – 2030 BC
Carnelian
2018.33
Frog
Egyptian
712 – 332 BC
Black and yellow agate
2012.255
712 – 332 BC
Black and yellow agate
2012.255
Mould for Amulet of Isis Suckling Horus
Egyptian
1567- 1085 BC
Terracotta
80.80.1-2
1567- 1085 BC
Terracotta
80.80.1-2
The Egyptians used molds to make terracotta and faience figures as early as the end of the third millennium B.C. The figure here is a modern cast from this ancient mold.
Pectoral of Two Goddesses
Egyptian
1069 – 945 BC
Faience
2018.47
1069 – 945 BC
Faience
2018.47
Rectangular Wadjet Eye Amulet
Egyptian
1069 – 945 BC
Faience
2018.46
1069 – 945 BC
Faience
2018.46
Winged Scarab Pectoral
Egyptian
ca. 664 – 525 BC
Faience
2018.49a-c
ca. 664 – 525 BC
Faience
2018.49a-c
