Ancient Egyptian Amulets: Spiritual Symbols in Art and Jewelry
Large Group of Egyptian Amulets Ca. 1550 - 332 BC. Sold for £380 GBP via Apollo Art Auctions (December 2024).
The Spiritual Power of Amulets in Ancient Egypt
Egyptian Green Stone Heart Scarab Without Inscriptions. Sold for £4,600 GBP via Apollo Art Auctions (December 2024).
The occult practices of Ancient Egyptians involved incantations and the widespread use of magical amulets, which served varying functions, from healing to protection. Representations of animals, such as lions or cobras, were common, suggesting that the wearer wished to acquire the attributes of a particular animal. Those depicting gods and goddesses promised the protective powers of the deity. For instance, Bastet was the goddess of fertility and a protector of women, and was often depicted as a cat or a cat with kittens. Not only worn by the living, amulets, especially in the shape of scarabs, have been found inside the wrappings of mummies, as they were used to prepare the dead for the afterlife.
Common Symbols and Their Meanings
Doris Day’s 14K Gold “Ankh” Ring. Sold for $3,500 USD via
Julien’s Auctions (April 2020).
The ankh was a hieroglyph that represented life. When placed on a mummy it was believed to bestow eternal life to the dead. Ankhs were often shown in the hands of gods and goddesses who possessed the power to give life.
Huge Egyptian Faience Wedjat-Eye Amulet. Sold for £2,000 GBP via Apollo Art Auctions (January 2022).
The Eye of Horus was one of the most common amulets. Its restorative, healing powers derive from the tale of the god Horus, a sky deity, whose eye was stolen by the god Seth, then restored by the god Thoth. Horus offered the eye to his deceased father Osiris, and its revitalizing power sustained Osiris in the afterlife. These intricate amulets combine the features of a falcon (which Horus was associated with) and that of a human eye.
Scarabs were dung beetles. Ancient Egyptians believed that funerary scarabs would protect the dead from danger in the underworld. They were placed over the mummy’s heart with a spell to stop the heart from telling lies. The dung beetle was seen as a symbol of rebirth because the Egyptians associated them with the sun moving across the sky, with their constant shaping and rolling of large round balls of dung.
The tyet (or the Knot of Isis) was associated with the goddess Isis, the wife of Osiris. The tyet was considered a potent symbol of protection in the afterlife and the Book of the Dead, a religious text that guided the dead on their journey to the afterlife, specifies that it be made of blood-red stone, though many were made of green materials, such as faience, its color representing the renewal of life. Few people were buried without one placed within the mummy wrappings, usually on the upper torso.
Crafting the Divine: Materials and Techniques
Set of Egyptian Faience Amulets. Sold £300 GBP via Apollo Art Auctions (December 2024).
The fine skills of craftsmen and goldsmiths in ancient Egypt have reached us through the discovery of ancient tombs and burial sites, which revealed the fantastic treasures that belonged to Egyptian rulers and the elite that they used both during their lifetime and accompanied them after their death. Some refined techniques included gilding, inlaying, stone carving and filigree, while beads made from gold, stones or glazed ceramics were also popular.
Amulette d’Anubis en Faience Silencieuse a Glacure Turquoise. Sold for €9,850 EUR via Christie’s (March 2008).
Faience was one of the most common materials for amulets; this substance allowed the Egyptians to make a wide variety of objects covered in shiny, bright-blue glaze – a color that was closely linked with fertility, life and the shimmering qualities of the sun. Semi-precious stones, such as jasper and quartz, were used as well, and their hues often had a specific meaning. Turquoise, lapis lazuli and carnelian were all thought to have amuletic powers, such as rebirth and protection. Expensive materials such as gold, silver and electrum (naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver) were coveted by the higher classes.
Amulets and the Afterlife: A Symbolic Journey
Rare / Fine Egyptian Faience Pendant Isis Knot. Sold for $750 USD via Artemis Fine Arts (December 2021).
Ancient Egyptians believed that when they entered the afterlife, they needed to take treasures from their life with them, as well as small amulets to keep them safe. These would be wrapped up in the mummy’s bandages (King Tutankhamun had dozens in the linen bandages wrapped around his body). Ancient Egyptian funerary texts describe the use of different types of amulets and include spells to be recited over them. One of the most common was the scarab, which was placed over the heart to protect it during the “weighing of the heart” ceremony, where the god Anubis checks whether or not the person had led a good life. Heart scarabs were sometimes heart-shaped, but most of them were oval or carved to look like beetles (the name refers to the placement of the amulets over the heart).
The goddess Isis was said to have magical powers, including the ability to resurrect the dead, so was extremely important in funerary rituals. The tyet sign, associated with Isis, was considered a potent symbol of protection in the afterlife and the Book of the Dead specifies that it be made of blood-red stone and placed on the mummy’s neck.
Legacy and Influence: Egyptian Amulets in Modern Jewelry
Gold, Emerald, Chalcedony Bead and Diamond Chain Necklace, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Egyptian Revival Pendant-Necklace. Sold for $4,687 USD via DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers (May 2016).
Napoleon’s foray into Egypt in the 18th century and the discovery of well-preserved burial sites in the Valley of the Kings in the 1920s have ensured that spectacular ancient Egyptian jewelry has informed and fuelled our fascination with this culture. Materials such as gold, lapis lazuli, emerald, carnelian, turquoise and obsidian influenced western art and design during the art deco period in particular.
An abstract lotus pattern executed in metal and inlaid wood veneers in the lobby of the Chrysler Building in New York takes its cues from ancient Egypt. Image courtesy of Wally Gobetz on Flickr.
Jewelry designers, such as Bulgari, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels were greatly inspired by ancient Egyptian materials and motifs. These brands created pieces that were wearable art pieces, such as the Cartier “Halo” tiara of lotus flowers crafted in London for the Begum Aga Khan in 1934. Various Van Cleef & Arpels’ creations depicted Egyptian deities and lotus flowers. This fascination influenced design and architecture as well, with the Chrysler Building in New York referencing Egyptian papyrus flowers, while Cartier crafted the Temple Gate clock, inspired by the Gate of Khons, which was embellished with pearl panels decorated with Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Sonia Zhuravlyova is a freelance journalist and copywriter. She contributes to publications such as Monocle, Icon and others and has co-authored a book on the history of post-war prefabricated architecture.
