Falcon amulet
Unknown Artist
664–380 B.C.
Medium
Gold sheet
Dimensions
l. 3.2 cm (1 1/4 in.) × h. 2.5 cm (1 in.)
Classification
Amulet, falcon
Period
Late Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. V. Everit Macy, 1923
Accession Number
23.10.45
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite falcon amulet, crafted from a delicate gold sheet during Egypt's Late Period (Dyn 26–29, ca. 664–380 B.C.), measures just 3.2 cm long and 2.5 cm high—small enough to wear as jewelry or suspend from a necklace. Produced by an unknown artisan, its shimmering gold medium was prized in ancient Egypt for its divine associations with eternity and the sun god Ra, often hammered into intricate shapes using repoussé techniques to evoke lifelike feathers and a poised stance. In Egyptian culture, the falcon embodied Horus, the sky god of kingship, protection, and vengeance, making such am...