and yet constantly dug up and desecrated tombs and burials sites in countries like Egypt, unwrapping mummies as an evening’s entertainment, grinding the bodies down for fertilizer, even using their wrappings for butcher’s paper!

H. Rider Haggard said

Gold Bangle with Gold and Silver amulets

Egypt

Middle Kingdom, 1991-1785 BC

Made of two bangles of beaten gold separated by alternating amulets of silver and gold. It is a very rare example, unique for this period. The amulets include animals figures: turtle, hare, snake, baboon and falcon, and symbols: ankh, wedjat eye, djed pillar, bat emblem and two-finger amulet.

The turtle was a symbol of evil, rendered harmless by being shown immobilized. The hare, noted for its fertility and survival skills symbolised life. The snake represented new life. The baboon, the herald of the rising sun, was also a manifestation of the god Thoth. The ankh was the heiroglyph for life. The wedjat was the powerfully protective healed eye of the falcon-god Horus. The djed pillar was the hieroglyph for stability. The Bat emblem was the face of the protective cow-eared goddess. The two-finger amulets may represent the fingers of the embalmer, giving extra protection.

This tortoise loves shower time!

The Radiated Tortoise is known for this “dancing” behavior during periods of heavy rain in its native range (dry areas of southern Madagascar).

“It’s too late, my blood is in your veins.” “So is mine!”

Rene Magritte (Belgian, 1898-1967)

Melusine’s Window, 1953

Statue of King Amenhotep II as God Ptah-Tatenen

A fine limestone statue of king Amenhotep II depicted in the form of the god Ptah-Tatenen from Karnak Cachette. Tatenen (or Tanen) was the god of the primordial mound in ancient Egyptian religion. His name means “risen land” or ‘exalted earth’, as well as referring to the silt of the Nile.

Kérberos