The Deshret crown, also known as the ‘Red Crown’, was the crown of Lower Egypt. The informal name of ‘Red Crown’ is largely due to mass artistic representations of the headpiece in red. Amulets of the crown however tend to be green, such as this faience example. It was comprised of a cylindrical headpiece with a raised spike to the back and a long curl to the front. It was later combined with the White Crown of Upper Egypt, the Hedjet, to form the double crown, or Pschent. Examples of the Deshret have not survived, leading to the speculation that the crown was passed on from ruler to ruler, rather than being buried with the deceased pharaoh. The Deshret crown was particularly associated with the Egyptian god Horus, who was tasked with the rule of Lower Egypt.
To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.
