Join The Collection to save, track, and explore works like this.

Art Institute of Chicago

Spotted

Ancient Egyptian — Amulet of Two Fingers

Ancient Egyptian

Amulet of Two Fingers

-664

This amulet depicts the index and middle fingers of a right hand. The fingernails and joints are carefully rendered using incised lines. Amulets in this form were always made from dark-colored glass or stone (as in this example) and may represent the embalmer’s fingers. They were usually placed on the left side of a mummified body’s torso, near the incision that had been made to remove the internal organs. Here the amulet could heal the wound created during the mummification process so that its owner’s body would once again be whole in the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians produced amulets in a variety of forms and from many different materials in order to provide protection in life, death, or both. Two-finger amulets like this example were used exclusively in a funerary context.

Medium
Hematite
Dimensions

Start the Discussion

Request access to join the discussion

Spotted works by Ancient Egyptian

About this work

Ancient Egyptian, Amulet of Two Fingers, -664

This amulet depicts the index and middle fingers of a right hand. The fingernails and joints are carefully rendered using incised lines. Amulets in this form were always made from dark-colored glass or stone (as in this example) and may represent the embalmer’s fingers. They were usually placed on the left side of a mummified body’s torso, near the incision that had been made to remove the internal organs. Here the amulet could heal the wound created during the mummification process so that its owner’s body would once again be whole in the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians produced amulets in a variety of forms and from many different materials in order to provide protection in life, death, or both. Two-finger amulets like this example were used exclusively in a funerary context.

Medium
Hematite
Dimensions
2.7 x 1 cm
Year
-664
Seen at
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Related themes

Small Scale, Unique Work

More works by Ancient Egyptian

Collected by

Art Institute of Chicago