Ancient Egyptian Black Hardstone Double Plume Amulet

£ 135.00

An Egyptian amulet in the form of a double ostrich feather. Carved from a black hardstone, possibly haematite, the obverse features a vertical central groove delineating the two plumes. The tips of the feathers are pointed and slightly curled over, whilst the bottom curves inwards to form a triangular base. The reverse of the amulet is flat and unadorned.

Date: Circa 664-332 BC
Period: Late Period
Provenance: From an early 20th Century UK Collection.
Condition: Find condition, with minor chips to the bottom. Hairline crack to the reverse at the top.

In stock

SKU: CY-254 Category: Tag:

The Egyptians wore amulets alongside other pieces of jewellery. They were decorative, but also served a practical purpose, being considered to bestow power and protection upon the wearer. Many of the amulets have been found inside the wrappings of mummies, as they were used to prepare the deceased for the afterlife. The wearer of a double plume ostrich amulet would have been imbued with divine dignity and majesty. The double plume was associated with the divine law demonstrated by its frequent appearance on crowns of divine beings such as Osiris and Amun.

To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.

Weight 1.4 g
Dimensions L 2.4 x W 1.1 cm
Culture

Region

Stone

Reference: For a similar item, The Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta, object number 1921.082.

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