Fish

The Egyptians had an ambivalent attitude towards fishes¹. As part of the diet fish amulets are mostly food offerings. However, some species also placed the wearer under the patronage of deities or were like the Tilapia symbols of new life¹. It is very hard to precisely identify represented species (see slides #635-642). Materials include ivory and semi-precious stones for the earliest, but mostly faience and bronze. They occur throughout all Dynastic Periods

Terracotta Tilapia? L 6.0, H 2.2
T 1.1 Graeco-Roman Period
Private collection DA

References

¹Andrews C. Amulets of Ancient Egypt, 1994, pp. 92-93 and Figs. 92e-f