The Ancient Egyptians wore amulets alongside other pieces of jewellery. Amulets were decorative, but also served a practical purpose, being considered to bestow power and protection upon the wearer. Due to its numerous offsprings, Egyptians associated the frog with fertility, rebirth and thus afterlife. Frogs were associated with the Creator God Khnum or with the Goddess of birth Heqat, always as a symbol of life creation and thus often found as votive offerings in several temples.
The hieroglyphs including on the reverse of the amulet combine to form part of the Nomen of Amenhotep. Whilst the rest of the titular is missing, we can assume that the amulet is dedicated to Amenhotep III, also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent. Amenhotep III was the 9th pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, ruling Ancient Egypt for a period of great prosperity. He was the son of Thutmose IV and went on to father a number of children himself, including Akhenaten, the father of Tutankhamun. It is documented that Amenhotep III reigned for a period of 38/39 years and his reign marks the pinnacle of Egypt’s power, internationally and artistically. An unprecedented number of statues survive from his reign, documenting his life through sculpture. Egypt maintained a relatively peaceful period during Amenhotep III’s reign, with only one campaign recorded in Nubia. The name Amenhotep translates as ‘Amun is satisfied’.
To discover more about amulets in the Ancient Egyptian world, please visit our relevant post: Amulets in Ancient Egypt.
