The Jewellery Trail

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Dark green glaze amulet of the Djed pillar

The Djed pillar was a popular amulet in Ancient Egypt. It symbolised stability and endurance. The Djed pillar was also associated with Osiris who was the god of the underworld as it was believed to represent his backbone. The Djed is an Ancient Egyptian symbol that is depicted as a column with a broad base and capital (top). The capital is divided by 4 parallel bars.

The Djed pillar amulet was an important mortuary amulet. It was one of the most common amulets found on the mummy. It could be placed on the torso, the upper chest or around the neck. The Djed pillar was an important mortuary amulet because it was the sacred sign of Osiris. It was a powerful weapon of magic for all dead Egyptians. It was considered necessary to help transform the human body into the spirit form assumed by the dead in the afterlife.

In order that the djed pillar amulet would last forever, the best material to make these amulets was gold. However, gold was very expensive so yellow faience was sometimes used instead. The colours green and blue were associated with regeneration in Ancient Egypt and so turquoise, lapis lazuli and blue faience could also used. These colours and materials and the shape of the amulet would ensure the deceased would pass successfully into the afterlife.

Dark green glaze amulet of a scarab

The scarab amulet was a very popular and important amulet in ancient Egypt. The scarab amulet was based on the image of the dung beetle, or Scarabeus sacer’.

The scarab represented self-generation, resurrection and renewal. This was because of the way the beetle looks after its young. The insect pushes a ball of dung into a hole and then lays its eggs in the dung. This provides its offspring with security and food. When the young beetles hatch they appear, as if by magic, from the dung. As a result the scarab beetle was a symbol of rebirth and so it became associated with the solar cult stories about the rebirth of the sun. In Ancient Egyptian tradition, the scarab was believed to roll the sun across the sky each day.

The scarab amulet 1st appeared during the Old Kingdom (about 2575-2134 BC). It was often used as a seal, mounted on a ring, with an inscription on the other side. These seals would have been used by high ranking officials.

Scarab amulets were made from a wide variety of materials, such as stone, gold, bronze, semi-precious stones, gems and faience. Many scarab amulets were coloured green, like this example because green symbolised resurrection.

Turquoise glaze amulets of the ‘Wedjat’ eye

One of the most widely worn protective amulets in Ancient Egypt was the ‘wedjat’ eye. The ‘wedjat’ eye represented the restored eye of the god Horus.

Horus was the god of the sky and was depicted as a falcon or as a man with a falcon’s head. The ‘wedjat’ eye of ‘Eye of Horus’ is a symbol of the eye Horus lost when in he fought his evil uncle Seth. Horus fought with Seth in order to avenge the death of his father, Osiris, who Seth had killed. During the battle, Seth tore out Horus’ left eye when he was in his falcon form. The healing of the eye has been attributed to Thoth, Hathor and Isis. The restored eye became known as the ‘wedjat’ or ‘healthy eye’ and became a powerful symbol of restoration, protection, regeneration, health and prosperity.

The ‘wedjat’ eye was worn by living Egyptians as jewellery. It often formed part of a necklace and often appeared on rings. Faience factories have been found at the city of Tell el-Amarna, where ‘Wedjat’ eye rings were very popular among the inhabitants. ‘Wedjat’ eyes worn as jewellery were often made from gold, silver, lapis lazuli, wood, porcelain, carnelian or blue or green faience. The eye would ensure safety, good health, wisdom and prosperity for the wearer.

String of carnelian and ivory amulets of a bird head, human head and mormyrus fish

Carnelian is a semi-precious stone which is usually red in colour. During ancient times it was found in a country called Nubia (modern Sudan) which was located immediately south of Egypt. It was highly prized throughout Ancient Egyptian history.

The Ancient Egyptians believed that certain colours and materials would give amulets protective and magical qualities. In Ancient Egypt red was the colour of life and of victory. Red was also a symbol of anger and fire.

The 2 ivory amulets carved in the shape of fish are also interesting. Ivory was used throughout Ancient Egyptian history as a source of decoration. Local ivory came from the Nile hippopotami. Elephant tusks were also imported from Syria, Libya and Nubia.

In Ancient Egypt fish were often regarded as unclean animals and a forbidden source of food. However, during certain periods of Ancient Egyptian history and at certain places, fish were regarded as sacred animals. Certain species came to be worshipped as gods because it was believed they could suppress evil.

Blue glaze amulet of Bes

This faience amulet represents the Ancient Egyptian dwarf god Bes. For much of Ancient Egyptian history, Bes was the patron of women in childbirth and the guardian of the household. He also protected children by frightening away the evil spirits that could kill a baby or young child.

The Ancient Egyptians also believed that Bes entertained children as well as protect them. When a child smiled for no reason, it was thought that Bes was pulling faces at the child to make them laugh.

Bes had a fearsome appearance which was designed to scare evil forces from the home, but he was kind and good-hearted in nature. He was depicted as a bearded dwarf with his tongue sticking out. He had bow legs, a lion’s tail, plumed crown, large ears and he wore a panther skin or kilt.

Bes amulets were worn as pendants by both women and children. Pregnant women wore small Bes amulets during childbirth. Some women were even tattooed with small Bes figures on each thigh to help ease the birthing process. The people who helped the mother during the birth may also have worn a Bes mask.

Blue glaze amulets of the 4 sons of Horus and a scarab

These amulets represent the Four Sons of Horus. They are sometimes described as funerary deities and were very popular amulets throughout Ancient Egyptian history.

They were known as Duamutef, Imsety, Hapi and Qebehsenuef. Duamutef was represented as man with the head of a jackal, Imsety the head of a man, Hapi had the head of a baboon and Qebsehsenuef had the head of a falcon. The Sons of Horus protected the dead on their journey to the afterlife. They also protected the internal organs (viscera) which were removed from the body during the mummification process.

In later Ancient Egyptian history, amulets in the form of the Sons of Horus were placed with the viscera inside the mummy. During other periods of Ancient Egyptian history the amulets were simply placed in the linen wrappings or sewn onto the mummy bandages.

The amulet in the middle is a scarab amulet. The scarab amulet was based on the image of the dung beetle, or ‘Scarabeus sacer’. It represented self-generation, resurrection and renewal. This scarab amulet probably originally had wings.