Aten cartouche

Amulet in the shape of a cartouche. The glaze is a deep cobalt blue.Two holes at either end enter on the edge and exit on the back of the amulet near the edge. The cartouche is one of the two cartouches used for the Aten and is translated: Re-Harakhti lives, rejoicing in the horizon.

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Historical period(s)
Dynasty 18, New Kingdom, Reign of Akhnaten, 1539-1075 BCE
Medium
Faience (glazed composition)
Dimensions
H x W x D: 2 x 1 x 0.3 cm (13/16 x 3/8 x 1/8 in)
Geography
Egypt
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1907.165
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Faience, Jewelry and Ornament
Type

Amulet

Keywords
Dynasty 18 (ca. 1539 - 1295 BCE), Egypt, New Kingdom (ca. 1539 - 1075 BCE), protection, Re-Harakhti
Provenance

To 1907
Spink & Son Ltd., to 1907 [1]

From 1907 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Spink & Son Ltd., London in 1907 [2]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

Notes:

[1] See Original Pottery List, L. 1852, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

[2] See note 1.

[3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Spink & Son Ltd. (C.L. Freer source)
Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919

Description

Amulet in the shape of a cartouche. The glaze is a deep cobalt blue.Two holes at either end enter on the edge and exit on the back of the amulet near the edge. The cartouche is one of the two cartouches used for the Aten and is translated: Re-Harakhti lives, rejoicing in the horizon.

Inscription(s)

Transliteration of Hieroglyphs: ā€˜n rā€˜-r-ty ri m t Translation: Re-Harakhti lives, rejoicing in the horizon.

Label

Small amulets made of faience, stone, ceramic, metal, or glass were common personal possessions in ancient Egypt. They were most frequently fashioned in the form of gods and goddesses or of animals sacred to them. Amulets were believed to give their owners magical protection from a wide variety of ills and evil forces, including sickness, infertility, and death in childbirth. They were often provided with loops so they could be strung and worn as a necklace. Some amulets were made to place on the body of the deceased to protect the soul in the hereafter.

Collection Area(s)
Ancient Egyptian Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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