atma a'nekh djet

Earring with ram’s head

“The god Amun was often portrayed as a ram and both were associated with creativity and virility. 

Earrings were worn by men and women, both in life and after death, and were made in many different shapes, using a variety of materials.Gold was commonly used, as were inlays of precious stones and glass. The Egyptians were excellent goldsmiths. Gold was valued in ancient Egypt as a precious metal, and was associated with the gods, particularly the sun god, because of its warm reflective qualities.”

Amulets of Ancient Egypt. by Carol Andrews, 1994 (British Museum Press). University of Texas Press, 1998. 

here you go

“Jewelry was worn by ancient Egyptians at every level of society and, like their modern descendants, they prized it for its aesthetic value, as a way to adorn and beautify the body. It was also a conspicuous signifier of wealth, status, and power. But jewelry in ancient Egypt served another fundamental purpose: its wearers saw it as a means to absorb positive magical and divine powers―to protect the living, and the dead, from the malignant forces of the unseen. The types of metals or stones used by craftsmen were magically important, as were the colors of the materials, and the exact positioning of all the elements in a design. Ancient Egyptian Jewelry: 50 Masterpieces of Art and Design draws on the exquisite collections in the archaeological museums of Cairo to tell the story of three thousand years of jewelry-making, from simple amulets to complex ritual jewelry to the spells that protected the king in life and assisted his journey to the Otherworld in death. Gold, silver, carnelian, turquoise, and lapis lazuli were just some of the precious materials used in many of the pieces, and this stunningly illustrated book beautifully showcases the colors and exceptional artistry and accomplishment that make ancient Egyptian jewelry so dazzling to this day.”

Pendant of Mereret

This pendant once belonged to Princess Mereret, daughter of Senusret III.  Made of gold, turquoise, lapis lazuli and carnelian. Excavated from the Mortuary Complex of Senusret III, Dahshur.

Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, reign of Senusret III, ca. 1878-1839 BC. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 53070