Amulet of a Crocodile
New Kingdom–Third Intermediate Period (about 1500–664 BCE)
Medium
Steatite
Dimensions
1.3 × 1 × 5 cm (9/16 × 7/16 × 2 in.)
Classification
amulet
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
140855
Art Historical Context
This petite Amulet of a Crocodile, carved steatite during Egypt's New Kingdom to Third Intermediate Period (ca. 1500–664 BCE), exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient Egyptian artisans. Measuring just 1.3 × 1 × 5 cm, its compact form suggests it was worn as personal jewelry or placed in tombs, a common practice for protective talismans. Steatite, a soft soapstone, allowed for intricate detailing, often glazed to enhance durability and luster, making it ideal for such small-scale works. In ancient Egyptian culture, amulets like this held profound apotropaic power, believed to safegu...
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....