An extremely well-preserved pale green faience amulet modelled in the shape of the goddess Bastet in her feline form. The cat is portrayed sitting with her tail resting on the right side of her body. The reverse features a suspension loop. 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. Many amulets have been found inside the wrappings of mummies, as they were used to prepare the deceased for the afterlife.
Date: Circa 664-332 BC Period: Late Period to Ptolemaic Period Condition: Extremely fine.
The goddess Bastet was considered to be the daughter of Ra, the sun god, and was originally shown with the features of a lion up until about 1000 BC when she started being portrayed as a cat or human with a cat head. The maternal, protective and hunting characteristics of the cat were the most obvious in Bastet and she is seen as a protector of pregnant women and young children.
To discover more about amulets in the Ancient Egyptian world, please visit our relevant post:Amulets in Ancient Egypt.
