Egyptian
Small Amethyst Falcon Pendant Earrings, Egyptian, Middle Kingdom, circa 2030-1650 BC
Amethyst and Gold
Length of falcon amulet: 0.7 cm
Length of earring: 2.3 cm
Length of earring: 2.3 cm
Two ancient Egyptian amethyst falcon amulets, circa 2030-1650 BC, suspended from modern 18 carat gold bespoke pendant earrings. The amulets are carved in the form of a standing falcon.
Two ancient Egyptian amethyst falcon amulets, circa 2030-1650 BC, suspended from modern 18 carat gold bespoke pendant earrings. The amulets are carved in the form of a standing falcon.
Provenance
Private collection, 1980sWith Galerie Nefer, Zurich, acquired in the 1990s
Private collection, Aarau, Switzerland, until 2015, thence by descent
Private collection, Switzerland, acquired in 2018
Exhibitions
On Loan: Antikenmuseum Basel & Sammlung Ludwig, 1998 – 2022Literature
Egyptian amulets were believed to possess positive properties that could be magically bestowed upon the owner. This magical power could be derived from several elements of the amulet: the material, colour, shape, decoration, and the object that the amulet was intended to represent. Amulets could be worn with other pieces of jewellery or sewn into clothes.In ancient Egypt, falcons were most often associated with the sky god Horus, the son of Osiris and Isis. He was a deity associated with the sky but, more importantly, represented the embodiment of divine kingship, making him the protector of the reigning pharaoh.