3 months ago
Share
It's so small you might even miss it; but don't! This is called the Amulet of Harsaphes.
An amulet is like a good luck charm. A man named Harsaphes wore it around his neck.
"The idea of wearing it is it provides some sort of protection. Each form had a different job to do. We're not sure what sort of protection this would have been, but it might have been to provide strength because a ram is a creature that represents strength," curator Joe Lampo explains.
"The detail is fascinating. It is finely finely made. The scale is exactly proportioned so the hands and arms and the face of the ram headed creature are proportionate to the face and the body. It's a fine example of the kind of work that was made at the time of this pharaoh."
There are other examples of amulet from ancient egypt--some quite colorful. It's amazing to think about who made these and how with the use of modern tools.
"There would have been skilled craftsman who were employed by the pharaoh. It's only people with certain wealth that could afford to have these kind of workers connected to them," says Lampo.
"It's cast so there would have been a little mold made. The mold would have been made with very fine tools."
The exhibition is full of very large things, and the very small. Be sure to take the time to see it all.
