Object Description
An Egyptian blue faience bilaterial plaque, richly decorated with hieroglyphs. One side features the standing figure of a pregnant hippopotamus, the goddess Taweret. Her form fills one side of the plaque, the dominating hieroglyph. To her right are two other signs. The first is a large feather of Ma’at. Underneath is a flaring hieroglyph, described as a papyrus mat, and transliterated as ‘sȝ’ or ‘sa’. It is a logogram that means ‘protection’ and is often depicted alongside Taweret. The flat, reverse of the plaque is a little less clear. The large sign to the top, though slightly damaged, is most likely the vulture hieroglyph, representing the goddess Mut. Beneath is a large ‘neb’ basket symbol and the sky hieroglyph. The combined symbols refer to Mut’s epithet; Lady of the Sky. Mut is the Egyptian word for mother also, as she was considered the mother of all gods. Combined with the representation of Taweret, we can ascertain that this particular amulet was intended for the protection of a mother, possibly during childbirth. The amulet is pierced horizontally for suspension.
Date: Circa 664-332 BC
Period: Late Period