Object Details
Description
One side flat. Eyelet at the top. Clay: dense. Glaze: bright blue.
Label
Small amulets made of faience, stone, ceramic, metal, or glass were common personal possessions in ancient Egypt. They were most frequently fashioned in the form of gods and goddesses or of animals sacred to them. Amulets were believed to give their owners magical protection from a wide variety of ills and evil forces, including sickness, infertility, and death in childbirth. They were often provided with loops so they could be strung and worn as a necklace. Some amulets were made to place on the body of the deceased to protect the soul in the hereafter.
Provenance
To 1908
Ali Arabi, Giza, Egypt, to 1908 [1]
From 1908 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), given by Ali Arabi in May, 1908 [2]
From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
Notes:
[1] See Original Pottery List, L. 1757, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
[2] See note 1.
[3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History
A Collector’s Eye: Freer in Egypt (January 28, 2023 to 2025)
The Nile and Ancient Egypt (December 7, 2013 to January 3, 2016)
Charles Lang Freer and Egypt (June 13, 1998 to October 2, 2011)
Previous custodian or owner
Ali Arabi (ca. 1840-1932) (C.L. Freer source)
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Date
305-30 BCE
Period
Possibly Ptolemaic Dynasty
Accession Number
F1908.222
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Jewelry and Ornament
Medium
Clay
Dimensions
H x W x D: 4.4 x 1.9 x 0.6 cm (1 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/4 in)
Origin
Egypt
On View
West Building (Freer Gallery of Art), Gallery 20: A Collector’s Eye: Freer in Egypt
Related Online Resources
Google Arts & Culture
See more items in
National Museum of Asian Art
Data Source
National Museum of Asian Art
Topic
ceramic
Ptolemaic Dynasty (305 - 30 BCE)
Egypt
Ancient Egyptian Art
protection
Charles Lang Freer collection
Link to Original Record
Record ID
fsg_F1908.222