Amulet of a Crocodile
New Kingdom–Third Intermediate Period (?) (about 1550–664 BCE)
Medium
Faience
Dimensions
0.5 × 0.7 × 2 cm (1/4 × 5/16 × 13/16 in.)
Classification
amulet
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
140683
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This amulet likely depicts a crocodile from a bird’s-eye view, a change from the more common profile perspective used for depictions of animals within ancient Egyptian art. Ancient Egyptians had several terms for small objects like this, which we call “amulets.” Worn by the living and the dead, these charms were meant to bring protection, health, and good luck, ensuring the bearer’s well-being in both life and the afterlife. The crocodiles that previously lived on the banks of the Nile River in...
About the Artist
Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian artists, a collective of highly skilled artisans spanning over three millennia from the Predynastic period (c. 6000–3150 BC) to the Roman era (30 BC–4th century AD), produced some of humanity's most enduring masterpieces. These anonymous craftsmen, often organized in state-sponsored workshops, lived in dedicated communities like Deir el-Medina near Luxor during the New Kingdom (c....