Amulet
Unknown Artist
30 BCE–364 CE
Medium
Bone; incised and inlaid with paint
Dimensions
H. 2 3/16 in. (5.6 cm) W. 7/8 in. (2.2 cm) D. 1/4 in. (0.6 cm) Wt. 0.256 oz. (7.258 g)
Classification
Ivories and Bone
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Egypt Exploration Fund, 1902
Accession Number
02.4.188
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate bone amulet, crafted 30 BCE and 364 CE, hails from ancient Egypt during the Roman and early Byzantine periods. Measuring just over 2 inches tall, it exemplifies the portable personal artifacts that bridged pagan, Jewish, Christian, and emerging cultural influences in the Nile Valley. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum Art in 1902 by the Egypt Exploration Fund, it resides in the Islamic Art department, reflecting the Met's broad curation of Egypt's multifaceted heritage, including Coptic traditions. Fashioned from bone—a lightweight, accessible medium for everyday talismans—the a...