Necklace
c. 1070 BC - 332 BC (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The wedjat, 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
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Glazed composition, glass and shell |
| Brief description | Bracelet, glazed composition, glass and shell, Egypt, Third Intermediate Period or Late Period |
| Physical description | Bracelet comprised of numerous beads and amulets. The string contains: A blue-green glazed composition cat amulet. Eight blue-green glazed composition Wedjat eye amulets. A spiky 'degraded' shaped glazed composition bead, possibly in the form of a quadruple Wedjat eye amulet. Four glass 'eye' beads, in yellow and black and blue and white. Two cowrie shells. The wedjat eyes are of several styles, some with incised details, some with details glazed in black, and one more schematic with only the pupil detailed. |
| Dimensions |
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| 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. |
| Summary | The wedjat, 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. |
| Bibliographic reference | The types of Wedjat eyes with raised detailing in black glaze are categorised in W.M.F. Petrie, Amulets (London: 1914), 32 as Type 138C, 'coloured surface'. A close parallel is depicted on Pl. 25, No.138U.
Parellels to the Wedjat eyes with only pupil and brow detailed are Pl. 25, No.138T-S, and for those with incised details (Petrie Type 138D) are Pl. 25, 138V-Y. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.28B-1935 |
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| Record created | June 19, 2018 |
| Record URL |
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