About this artwork
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 (ordivine) body, animals, plants, and objects of daily life. The leg and foot were thought to provide the deceased with mobility in the afterlife. Multiple examples of these types of amulets have been found on the ankles of mummies.
-
Status
- Currently Off View
-
Department
- Arts of Africa
-
Culture
- Ancient Egyptian
-
Title
- Amulet of a Leg and Foot
-
Place
- Egypt (Object made in)
-
Date
- Made 2494 BCE–2055 BCE
-
Medium
- Carnelian
-
Dimensions
- 2 × 1 × 0.3 cm (3/4 × 3/8 × 1/8 in.)
-
Credit Line
- Gift of Henry H. Getty and Charles L. Hutchinson
-
Reference Number
- 1894.861
-
IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/140824/manifest.json