An Ancient Egyptian double-sided green faience amulet of the dwarf-god Ptaichos, portrayed standing on a rectangular-shaped plinth, with his arms resting by his protruding stomach. His legs appear slightly bent out to the sides and his head is disproportionally large. His facial features, highly detailed, are also unusually large and exaggerated. A suspension loop for attachment to the rear of the neck. 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 332 – 30 BC Period: Late Period – Ptolemaic Period Condition: Extremely fine, complete and intact. Some earthly deposits.
The god Ptaichos is so-called after a passage in Herodotus, which describes the protection-possessing power belonging to the image of a Phoenician dwarf. He was known as the son of Ptah, the craftsman’s god. In Old Kingdom scenes depicting daily life, dwarfs were always present among the workers in precious metal workshops. Ptaichos became very popular from the New Kingdom onwards, often shown holding snakes, making them harmless to people and children, and therefore was thought to provide protection against snakes and crocodiles.
To discover more about amulets in the Ancient Egyptian world, please visit our relevant post: Amulets in Ancient Egypt.
