Grasshopper or locust

Oct 16, 2026 | Amulets of goddesses, gods, and sacred animals, Invertebrates and insects, Sacred animals

Carnelian locust spacer bead of a bracelet

Amulets of grasshoper or locust in carnelian or red jasper are extremely rare1. They are pierced twice at the head and the end of the abdomen. Their significance is unclear, as they may bestow fertility, or be funerary in nature as the Pyramid texts mentioned an ascent to the heaven in locust form1. They are of New Kingdom date1
Unscaled Pictures

Carnelian locust spacer bead of a bracelet

Carnelian spacer bead of bracelet L 1.2, H 0.5, W 0.3
New Kingdom
Private collection DA

Red jasper locust spacer beads of a reconstructed bracelet

Red jasper spacer beads of a reconstructed bracelet L 1.2, H 0.5, W 0.3
New Kingdom

Reference

1Andrews C A R & van Dijk J, eds. Objects for Eternity, Egyptian antiquities from the W Arnold Meijer collection, Philipp von Zabern, Mainz, 2006, p. 89