Nephthys, Horus the Child, and Isis Amulet
Late Period, Dynasty 26 (664–525 BCE)
Medium
Faience
Dimensions
4.1 × 3 × 1.4 cm (1 5/8 × 1 1/8 × 9/16 in.)
Classification
amulet
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
64167
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Nephthys and her sister Isis appear in myths as mourners for Osiris. Here, identified by their headdresses, they flank the young Horus, the son of Osiris, symbolizing that from the death of Osiris, comes renewed life. This amulet would assure rebirth in the afterlife.
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....