Amulet of an Ankh

CC0 Public Domain Designation

Arts of Africa

Third Intermediate Period–Late Period (1070–332 BCE)

Egyptian

Small-scale Egyptian figurines, known as amulets, were thought to promote health and good luck. Amulets were such an important part of Egyptian religious beliefs that they were worn by both the living and the dead. They could be mounted on rings or strung as bracelets or necklaces and were placed among the mummy wrappings to secure the deceased’s rebirth and well-being in the afterlife. Many varieties of amulets survive, including figures of deities, parts of the human (or divine) body, animals, plants, and objects of daily life. The ankh symbol, which represents a sandal strap, was the hieroglyph for “life.” It is among the most common amulets because of the Egyptians’ desire for eternal life after death.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Arts of Africa

Artist: Ancient Egyptian
Title: Amulet of an Ankh
Place: Egypt (Object made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1070 BCE–332 BCE
Medium: Low-fired earthenware or stucco
Dimensions: 4 × 2 × 0.5 cm (1 5/8 × 3/4 × 3/16 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Henry H. Getty, Charles L. Hutchinson, Robert H. Fleming, and Norman W. Harris
Reference Number: 1894.103
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/136258/manifest.json

Thomas George Allen, A Handbook of the Egyptian Collection (Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago, 1923), p. 124.

Art Institute of Chicago, When the Greeks Ruled: Egypt After Alexander the Great, October 31, 2013 - July 27, 2014.

The Art Institute of Chicago, acquired in 1894; price reimbursed by Henry H. Getty, Robert H. Fleming, Charles L. Hutchinson, and Norman W. Harris.

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Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.