Household protection, as in Household Gods, was often worn on the body. Amulets were small objects of faience, stone or metal that carried a protective sign.
Key idea
People wore amulets for protection, in life and in the tomb: the wedjat eye, the scarab, the ankh, the djed pillar and the tyet knot.
| Amulet | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Wedjat eye | the healed eye of Horus: wholeness and protection |
| Scarab | Khepri, the rising sun: renewal (ḫpr, "come into being") |
| Ankh | life (ꜥnḫ) |
| Djed pillar | stability; linked with the backbone of Osiris (ḏd) |
| Tyet knot | the "knot of Isis", often of red stone: her protection |
Why it works
Many amulets are hieroglyphs that could be worn. A sign meant what it showed, and Egyptians believed signs could act, as tomb scenes did. Wearing the ankh carried "life"; wearing the djed carried "stability". Myth gave others their power: the wedjat recalls the eye of Horus, torn out by Seth and made whole again, so it brought healing and wholeness. Amulets were placed among a mummy’s wrappings too; the large heart scarab, set over the heart, carried spell 30B of the Book of the Dead.
Most amulets were made of faience, a glazed material that could be shaped in molds and came out blue or green, the colors of life. Richer people had them in gold, carnelian or lapis lazuli. The Book of the Dead even names the right material for some: spell 155 is for a djed of gold, spell 156 for a tyet of red jasper.
Worked example: Reading an amulet
A small faience pillar with four horizontal bands at the top is found in a burial. What is it, and what did it give?
- A pillar with bands at the top is the djed.
- It meant stability and was linked with Osiris’s backbone.
Answer: A djed amulet, for stability.
Worked example: Why a beetle?
Why would anyone wear a beetle?
- The scarab’s name, ḫpr, means "come into being".
- Egyptians linked it with Khepri, the sun rising each morning.
- So it stood for renewal.
Answer: It stood for renewal, like the rising sun.
Common mistake
Thinking amulets were only jewelry. They could be beautiful, but they were worn for protection, in life and in the tomb. Quick check: ask what sign the amulet carries and what that sign means.