Object Description
An extremely rare Egyptian amulet of a recumbent, female-headed sphinx. The mould-made amulet features the body of a cat, depicted sitting on an integrated, rectangular plinth. The animal’s thin tail hangs at the back, whilst its paws are tucked beneath its body and its long legs are elegantly displayed. The cat has a female human head, evident from the small anthropomorphic nose and ears. Her hair has been displayed as though parted into four segments and then piled onto the top of her head. The end result is almost crown-like and is known as a ‘Nubian’ hairstyle. The amulet features a thick suspension loop at the back of the head, which attaches to the body.
Date: Circa 1070 – 664 BC
Period: Third Intermediate Period