mahmoud

Queen Cleopatra's bracelet

Small-scale Egyptian figurines, known as amulets, were thought to promote health and good luck. Amulets were such an important part of Egyptian religious beliefs that they were worn by both the living and the dead. They could be mounted on rings or strung as bracelets or necklaces and were placed among the mummy wrappings to secure the deceased’s rebirth and well-being in the afterlife. Many varieties of amulets survive, including figures of deities, parts of the human (or divine) body, animals, plants, and objects of daily life. The ankh symbol, which represents a sandal strap, was the hieroglyph for “life.” It is among the most common amulets because of the Egyptians’ desire for eternal life after death.

Pyramids of Giza, 1962

Kees Scherer - Temple of Nefertari at Abu Simbel, Egypt, 1965-1968

This ceremonial fan originally held ostrich feathers. It is made of wood covered with sheets of gold and inlaid with colored glass, turquoise, lapis lazuli, carnelian, and translucent calcite.

Queen Cleopatra's bracelet