Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Amulet

664 BC - 30 BC (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Rings are known in Egypt from the Middle Kingdom (c.2050 BC – c.1800 BC) onwards. The earliest examples take the form of precious stone scarabs attached to loops of wire, usually bearing royal names and titles, or those of royal women. Soon afterwards, ‘private name’ stone scarabs also emerged, bearing the names or professional titles of particular individuals, or other unique identifiers such as a combination of symbols. These were often again made into rings. It is believed that these either acted as seals, or amulets, or even both. From the middle of the New Kingdom (c.1550 BC – c.1070 BC), rings also began to be mass-produced in glazed composition. Unlike scarab rings, these were not designed to identify particular individuals, and typically displayed bezels with stock designs – divine or protective symbols, or the name of the ruling King.

The wedjat eye, or ‘Eye of Horus’, represents the eye of the god Horus, which was believed to have been injured by his uncle Seth and subsequently healed. As such, it symbolised protection and wholeness, and was commonly used as an apotropaic symbol. The markings underneath the eye are based on those of a falcon, the animal associated with Horus and in whose form he was frequently depicted.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Glazed composition
Brief description
Wedjat eye amulet, green glazed composition, Egypt, Late or Ptolemaic Period
Physical description
Green glazed composition openwork amulet in the form of a Wedjat eye, or Eye of Horus, with incised details.
Dimensions
  • Height: 24mm
  • Width: 27mm
  • Depth: 7mm
Styles
Gallery label
Amulets in various materials and of various dates. From the earliest times, the Egyptians wore small objects of great variety upon their person so as to protect themselves against evil influences and to invoke the help of benign deities. The examples here range from the Middle Kingdom (circa 2000 B.C.) to the Ptolemaic Period (332-30 B.C.), and are made of the following materials: glazed and glass ware, red jasper, granite and serpentine. The commonest example is the sacred eye of Horus, represented in many forms and sizes, and made to be worn either on a necklace or on the finger as a ring. The eye symbolises the watching protection of Horus on his dead father Osiris with whom the deceased was considered to be identical. Two good specimens from the XVIIIth Dynasty (circa 1400 B.C.) are shown. Other amulets are: the Hippopotamus Goddess of women and child-birth Thoueris; Bes, demi-god of the house; Nephtys, sister of Isis; the cat sacred to the Goddess Bast; the Hawk of the Sun-God; the sacred Ram of Amen, King of the Gods; the papyrus sceptre which stands for prosperity; the ankh or sign of life; the nefer sign of good luck and beauty; the Ded-pillar of stability; and the crocodile emblem of Sobek. Scarab beetles from mummies of the XXVIth Dynasty-Ptolemaic Period (663 B.C.-330 B.C.). Given by University College, London CIRC.28-1935 (1935)
Credit line
Given by University College London
Object history
CIRC.26-1935 to CIRC.30-1935 were a collection of five groups of items, mounted on boards, given to the V&A by University College London in 1935. Each was intended to demonstrate the tradition of a type of Egyptian manufacture - slate palettes, amulets, necklaces and bracelets etc, typically from grave contexts.
Subject depicted
Summary
Rings are known in Egypt from the Middle Kingdom (c.2050 BC – c.1800 BC) onwards. The earliest examples take the form of precious stone scarabs attached to loops of wire, usually bearing royal names and titles, or those of royal women. Soon afterwards, ‘private name’ stone scarabs also emerged, bearing the names or professional titles of particular individuals, or other unique identifiers such as a combination of symbols. These were often again made into rings. It is believed that these either acted as seals, or amulets, or even both. From the middle of the New Kingdom (c.1550 BC – c.1070 BC), rings also began to be mass-produced in glazed composition. Unlike scarab rings, these were not designed to identify particular individuals, and typically displayed bezels with stock designs – divine or protective symbols, or the name of the ruling King.

The wedjat eye, or ‘Eye of Horus’, represents the eye of the god Horus, which was believed to have been injured by his uncle Seth and subsequently healed. As such, it symbolised protection and wholeness, and was commonly used as an apotropaic symbol. The markings underneath the eye are based on those of a falcon, the animal associated with Horus and in whose form he was frequently depicted.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.28BB-1935

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Record createdDecember 6, 2007
Record URL
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