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. Amulets in the shape of hedgehog a relatively rare in the material history of Ancient Egypt, becoming more popular during the Egyptian New Kingdom. As most of the amulets, hedgehog-shaped amulets were held as symbols of rebirth and afterlife. There are different reasons behind this association. Since the hedgehogs were usual to retreat into underground dens for long periods when food was scarce, only to re-emerge in times of abundance, the Egyptians linked this behaviour with the concepts of rebirth and afterlife.
To discover more about amulets in the Ancient Egyptian world, please visit our relevant post: Amulets in Ancient Egypt.