The vulture was an example of an apotropaic amulet: instead of offering protection, they represented the danger to be averted. The vulture was to be feared for its devouring of corpses.
The Amarna period relates specifically to the latter half of the 18th Dynasty (circa. 14th century BC), and to the reign of Tutankhamun’s father, Akhenaten, who altered the polytheistic Ancient Egyptian religion. The period saw the initial development of monotheistic religion, in which the sun-god Aten was worshipped above the other Egyptian gods.
To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.