Amulet of a Double Animal: Lion and Bull
Late Period, Dynasty 26 (664–525 BCE)
Medium
Faience
Dimensions
1.6 × 0.8 × 2.4 cm (11/16 × 3/8 × 1 in.)
Classification
amulet
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
141003
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Ancient Egyptians had several terms for small objects like this, which we call “amulets.” Worn by the living and the dead, these charms were meant to bring protection, health, and good luck, ensuring the bearer’s well-being in both life and the afterlife. This amulet depicts the foreparts of both a lion and a bull, joined together at the back. It resembles another amulet type that shows conjoined lions, a representation of the god Aker, who was associated with the western and eastern horizons i...
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....