Amulet
Ancient Egyptian - 22nd Dynasty, about 900 BC
Wedjat eye amulet from ancient Egypt
This is a double sided blue faience wedjat eye amulet, from Egypt. The pupils are painted black and the markings above the eye represent the traditional Egyptian cosmetic line and the lines underneath the eye are thought to mirror those seen under the eyes of the lanner falcon, a form which the hawk god Horus frequently assumed.
Faience is a man-made glass-like substance expertly manufactured by the ancient Egyptians, possibly developed to imitate highly prized and rare semi-precious blue stones like turquoise.The wedjat eye is one of the most familiar icons associated with ancient Egypt. The eye fulfilled a number of different roles in Egyptian mythology therefore was symbolised in many amulets. Wedjat eyes were either left or right eyes, the left lunar eye being that of the powerful falcon-headed god Horus, and the right solar eye being that of the sun god, Re.
This amulet represents the left lunar eye. The left wedjat eye of Horus was thought to have regenerative powers. This is why wedjat eye amulets were commonly placed within mummy wrappings to help the dead pass safely into the afterlife. This amulet was donated to the museum in 1966.
Museum object number