Introduction

I am a retired French scientist with a Ph.D. and D.Sc. in Biochemistry. I am not an egyptologist, but an «amateur»

Amateur derives from the latin verb amare (to love), and thus I felt in love with ancient Egypt

Personal motivations

I have a passion for arts in general and antique worlds. Particularly for Egypt due to its very high degree of civilization (equality of sexes without equivalent in the Graeco-Roman world), of the beauty and perfection of its achievements in architecture and in decorative arts (pyramids, tombs, temples, etc.) and for its long-lasting legacy to the modern era.

For example, Pythagoras, philosoph and ‘father of mathematics’, got his background in Egypt. Ancient Egyptian rulers also set-up a centralized and well organized state system with highly efficient administration for commercial exchanges, food production and taxation of income on crop quality, legal system including divorces and inheritance with equality for both sexes, etc.

It was also ‘The hazard and the necessity’ to cite the French Nobel Prize Jacques Monod

The hazard: well detailed amulet H 2.5 cm bought in 1979 within an antique fair as a god Khonsu, 5th century B.C.

At that time, I was fully ignorant in Egyptian antiquities. However, being a scientist, I was curious and wanted to know what I did buy

Thus the necessity was to understand the significance and meaning of this amulet: Shu, the god of air with raised arms, separates Geb, the god of earth, from Nut, the sky goddess.
The Greenfield papyrus © The Trustees of the British Museum #EA10554,87

Therefore, amulet (H 2.5 cm) of God Shu latter on characterized as an amulet of Saite Dynasty 26

Aims of the blog

The aim of this non commercial blog is to present in a second part the maximum of poorly published amulets (i.e. in documents not accessible to a wide audience) or not described at all with high quality colour pictures. Indeed, the two most important books on amulets have no (Petrie, see Ref #1) or few (Andrews, see Ref #2) colour pictures. Web sites like Pinterest provide pictures of splendid amulets.

However, their interest is very limited. There is usually no reference and/or a poor description when any.

I very much hope to receive pictures of amulets from both collectors and dealers with precise dimensions and references whenever possible.

Any contribution will be of course acknowledged.

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  1. I provide in this first part a number of personal opinions and observations (i.e. using means of suspension, materials and colours as criteria for a period of datation)
  2. All names of deities are from Wilkinson R H. The complete gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt, 256 pp., 2003. Thames & Hudson.
  3. When several amulets (usually of successive periods) are shown in a given slide, their actual size is approximately scaled, except when indicated in red

Principal abbreviations used:

  • H Height
  • L Length
  • D Depth or T Thickness
  • Ø Diameter

All dimensions are in cm

Definition and role of amulets

Charms providing either protection or good luck

  • Worn by the living on a collar, a bracelet (arm and ankle) or a ring to be shown, and in ancient Egypt placed in mummy bandages
  • Exist in every civilization: so called primitive people, christian cross, hamsa (muslim and jewish people), and within the five continents
Next chapter : Classification