Frog Amulet
Unknown Artist
c. 1380–1330 BCE
Medium
polychrome faience
Dimensions
0.8 × 0.9 cm, l. 1.1 cm
Classification
Amulets
Department
Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Cyril and Jessica Aldred
Accession Number
1980.123
About this artwork
The frog, because of its numerous offspring, was a symbol of fertility. In fact, the hieroglyphic sign for 100,000 was a tadpole. Frog amulets were very popular both in semiprecious stone and in faience, and were worn by women hoping for an easy delivery. Both sexes wore the frog in expectation of a successful rebirth in the afterlife.