Egyptian Vivid Blue Faience Amulet of Isis Nursing Horus the Child
£ 1,350.00
An Ancient Egyptian vivid blue faience amulet, depicting Isis nursing Horus the Child. The goddess is seated on a throne, wearing a tight-fitted garment and a tripartite wig surmounted by a Horned crown, that, by the Late Period, she had adopted from the goddess Hathor. Her facial features have been carefully rendered. Her right hand is placed on her chest, as though baring her breast to the child, and her left supports the body of Horus the Child. Horus, cradled in this embrace, sits in the lap of the goddess. Her feet are firmly planted on the rectangular base of the amulet. She is supported by a rectangular column, perforated near the top for suspension, just behind the crown.
Date: Circa 664-332 BC Period: Late Period Condition: Fine condition. Clear facial features and vibrant glaze. The corner of the base has been chipped. The upper body of Horus the Child is missing. Earthly encrustations and minor pitting to the surface.
The myth concerning Isis, Horus and Osiris was one of the most influential in the Ancient Egyptian world. It is said that Osiris’ brother Seth was jealous of his success as ruler of Egypt and so murdered him, tearing his body to pieces and then scattering them. In despair, Osiris’ wife and sister, Isis, collected the severed pieces and restored Osiris, allowing him to posthumously conceive a son, Horus, who once grown finally avenged his father by killing Seth. Isis and Horus are often shown in this nurturing pose, reflecting Isis’ restorative and healing properties. Depictions of deities in amulet form also had widespread popularity for many thousands of years in ancient Egypt, as it was a common way of invoking the assistance or protection of a particular god. The nature of this assistance can often be determined by the gods’ particular spheres of influence.
To discover more about amulets in the Ancient Egyptian world, please visit our relevant post: Amulets in Ancient Egypt.
