Bracelet thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Bracelet

c. 1550 BC - c. 1077 BC (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Bracelet comprising beads in blue glazed composition and carnelian; the stringing is modern. The pattern is reconstructed with a symmetrical arrangement around a central carnelian bead, of sets of glazed composition disk beads interspersed with larger glazed composition plaques. Towards the end of both ends of the string is a larger cylinder-shaped bead.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Glazed composition and carnelian
Brief description
Bracelet, carnelian and blue-green glazed composition, Egypt, possibly New Kingdom or later
Physical description
Bracelet comprising beads in blue glazed composition and carnelian; the stringing is modern. The pattern is reconstructed with a symmetrical arrangement around a central carnelian bead, of sets of glazed composition disk beads interspersed with larger glazed composition plaques. Towards the end of both ends of the string is a larger cylinder-shaped bead.
Dimensions
  • Length: 17.5cm
  • Plaque beads height: 2cm
  • Carnelian bead width: 0.7cm
Style
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.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.28B-1935

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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