Amulets

By W.M. Flinders Petrie

Facsimile edition of the 1972 reissue of Flinders Petrie’s 1914 pioneering typological catalogue of Egyptian amulets, one of a number of such catalogs to be reissued in this new series.

Remarkably, though it can be criticized in points of detail emanating from more recent research, it remains unsurpassed in its comprehensive description, typological classification, and interpretation. While an absence of reasoned argument for the dating of his various groups is a weak point of Petrie’s study from the point of view of modern scholarship, his attention to detail and careful consideration of typology and potential meaning, borne of decades of observation, means that this, and the other catalogs in the series, remain as invaluable reference books for Egyptologists.

Based on examination of his own extensive collection of Egyptian artifacts, Petrie presents a typologically ordered catalog divided into seven main groups defined on the basis of interpretation rather than subject: amulets of ‘similar,’ i.e., relating to body parts; power; property; protection; human-headed; animal-headed; and animal gods. Each class of object is described along with its varieties: material, distribution, position within burials, its chronological position as defined by Petrie himself, and its meaning interpreted. Collections containing examples are listed and hundreds of objects are presented in photographs and a selection of burial associations illustrated by coffin plans.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oxbow Books
• Release date: Apr 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888570012

W.M. Flinders Petrie

Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie (1853–1942) was a pioneer in the field of ‘modern’ archaeology. He introduced the stratigraphical approach in his Egyptian campaigns that underpins modern excavation techniques, explored scientific approaches to analysis and developed detailed typological studies of artefact classification and recording, which allowed for the stratigraphic dating of archaeological layers. He excavated and surveyed over 30 sites in Egypt, including Giza, Luxor, Amarna and Tell Nebesheh.

Book preview

AMULETS

AMULETS

SIR W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE

Introduction by Dr Geoffrey T. Martin

This edition published in the United Kingdom in 2023 by

OXBOW BOOKS

The Old Music Hall, 106-108 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JE

and in the United States by

OXBOW BOOKS

1950 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083

© Oxbow Books 2023

Paperback Edition: ISBN 979-8-88857-000-5

Digital Edition: ISBN 979-8-88857-001-2 (epub)

Mobi ISBN: 979-8-88857-001-2

First published by Constable & Company Ltd, 1914

Facsimile edition published in 1972 by Aris & Phillips Ltd

Oxbow Books is grateful to the Petrie Museum for their collaboration in bringing out these new editions

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher in writing.

For a complete list of Oxbow titles, please contact:

UNITED KINGDOM

Oxbow Books

Telephone [phone]

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Oxbow Books is part of the Casemate Group

Front cover: String of beads, scarabs, scaraboids and a scorpion amulet. From Gurob, Egypt, Dynasty 18 (c. 1550–1069BC). Petrie Museum UC45602. Image © Mary Hinkley, UCL Educational Media.

CONTENTS

Introduction by Dr. G. T. Martin

CHAPTER I.

T

HE

P

RINCIPLES OF

A

MULETS

.

1. The belief in amulets

2. Meaning of the name

3. Purpose of amulets

4. Five theories of amulets

5. Examples of each theory

6. The doctrine of similars

7. Lower individual beliefs

8. Primitive modes of thought

9. Organic amulets

10. The flux of beliefs

CHAPTER II.

E

GYPTIAN

A

MULETS

.

11. Scope of amulets

12. Limitations of the class

13. Growth of funereal amulets

14. Material for study

15. Arrangement of the catalogue

16. Materials named

17. Classification

System of the catalogue

CHAPTER III.

A

MULETS OF

S

IMILARS

. (295)

1. Head bearded. (3)

2. Face. (23)

3. Uzat eye. (2)

4. Eye. (4)

5. Ear. (4)

6. Tongue. (2)

7. Heart. (41)

8. Breast. (3)

9. Arm. (1)

10. Two arms, ka. (1)

11. Hand open. (12)

12. Fist clenched. (17)

13. Fist, thumb between fingers. (2)

14. Two hands side by side. (1)

15. Leg. (15)

16. Phallus. (9)

17. Sma. (5)

18. Frog and toad. (20)

19. Fly. (52)

20. Papyrus sceptre. (26)

21. Papyrus on plaque. (4)

22. Jackal head. (27)

23. Leopard head. (1)

24. Claw. (10)

25. Tooth. (8)

26. Locust. (2)

CHAPTER IV.

A

MULETS OF

P

OWERS

. (237)

27. Wagtail, ur. (3)

28. Human-headed bird, ba. (5)

29. Duckling, za. (2)

30. Man’s girdle tie, onkh. (7)

31. Nefer. (8)

32. Sistrum. (3)

33. Counterpoise, menat. (6)

34. Head-rest. (12)

35. Zad. (34)

36. Square. (12)

37. Plummet. (10)

38. Forked lance. (10)

39. Ostrich plumes. (11)

40. Two plumes, disc and horns(4)

41. Pair of feathers. (1)

42. Rising sun. (3)

43. Disc of sun. (2)

44. Crowned sun. (1)

45. Bark of the moon. (4)

46. Stairs. (1)

47. Hornet. (4)

48. White crown. (9)

49. Red crown. (17)

50. Double crown on neb. O

51. Vulture and uraeus. O

52. Royal crook. O

53. Royal scourge. (1)

54. Shepherd’s stick, uas. (10)

55. Disc mace. (5)

56. Pear mace. (20)

57. Feathers and scourge. O

58. Uraeus serpent. (19)

59. Man with palms. (5)

60. Bound captive. (8)

61. Figure with necklaces

CHAPTER V.

A

MULETS OF

P

ROPERTY

. (81)

62. Ox head. (18)

63. Cow, legs tied. (7)

64. Gazelle. (1)

65. Joint of meat. (1)

66. Goose or duck. O

67. Dish on mat, hotep . O

68. Altar with cakes. (5)

69. Date. (1)

70. Vase. (16)

71. Collar. (2)

72. Clothing. (5)

73. Royal head-dress. O

74. Comb. (5)

75. Spear head. O

76. Writing tablet. (2)

77. Name badge. (5)

78. Cartouche. (3)

79. Seal. (6)

80. Seal ring. (1)

81. Circle of cord. (2)

82. Slave figure. (1)

CHAPTER VI.

P

ROTECTIVE

A

MULETS

. (350)

83. Sun and wings. (2)

84. Sun and uraei. (2)

85. Crescent. (8)

86. Mummy. (2)

87. Mummy on bier. (4)

88. Girdle of Isis, thet. (23)

89. Scarab, flat base. (32)

90. Scarab, inscribed. (26)

91. Pectoral. (7)

92. Scarab with legs. (50)

93. Scarab winged. (8)

94. Vulture standing. (7)

95. Vulture spread. (4)

96. Serpent. (7)

97. Serpent head. (12)

98. Cobra on case. (8)

99. Amphisbaena on case. (2)

100. Phagrus eel on case. (3)

101. Lizard on case. (7)

102. Taurt on case. (1)

103. Shrew mouse on case. (1)

104. Horn. (1)

105. Bone. (3)

106. Coral. (1)

107. Cypraea shell. (7)

108. Nerita shell. (3)

109. Mitra shell. (2)

110. Conus shell. (4)

111. Cardium shell. (9)

112. Meleagrina shell. (12)

113. Cleopatra shell. (4)

114. Pectunculus shell. (2)

115. Polinices shell. (1)

116. Cassis shell. (1)

117. Murex shell. (1)

118. Helix shell. (8)

119. Clanculus shell. (1)

120. Turbo shell. (1)

121. Oliva shell. (2)

122. Terebra shell. (2)

123. Stone implement. (12)

124. Bell. (5)

125. Door bolt. (1)

126. Seated prince. (2)

127. Princess. (2)

128. Medusa head. (3)

129. Bulla. (12)

130. Forehead pendant. (21)

131. Knotted cord. (7)

132. Woven charm. (1)

133. Charm case. (18)

134. Hypocephalus. (4)

135. Inscribed stone, Greek. (26)

136. Inscribed stone, non-Greek. (11)

137. Cross. (44)

CHAPTER VII.

H

UMAN-HEADED

G

ODS

. (448)

138. Uzat eye, usual. (86)

139. Uzat eye, unusual. (46)

140. Uzat eye, multiple. (14)

141. Uzat eye, with gods. (12)

142. Uzat eye, inscribed. (10)

143. Horus the hunter. (1)

144. Horus on crocodiles. (9)

145. Horus the child. (26)

146. Horus on the lotus. (1)

147. Head of Horus. (2)

148. Isis and Horus. (21)

149. Isis. (17)

150. Isis mourning. (8)

151. Isis Pharia. (3)

152. Isis, Nebhat, and Horus. (6)

153. Groups of goddesses. (2)

154. Nebhat. (10)

155. Nebhat mourning. (2)

156. Osiris, Isis, and Horus. (4)

157. Osiris. (13)

158. Heart of Osiris. (18)

159. Oracular bust. (9)

160. Horus and Min. (1)

161. Min. (11)

162. Amen. (5)

163. Amen, Mut, and Khonsu. (1)

164. Mut. (10)

165. Khonsu. (2)

166. Anhur. (1)

167. Shu. (11)

168. Neit. (3)

169. Unknown deities. (6)

170. Hathor. (16)

171. Head of Hathor. (7)

172. Măot. (1)

173. Hat-mehyt. (2)

174. Selket. (2)

175. Nefertum. (11)

176. Ptah Seker. (25)

177. Ptah. (5)

178. Dwarf. (2)

179. Saints. (6)

CHAPTER VIII.

A

NIMAL-HEADED

G

ODS

. (260)

180. Horus. (15)

181. Ra. (16)

182. Four sons of Ra. (19)

183. Set. (1)

184. Sphinx, male. (4)

185. Sphinx, female. (15)

186. Hathor, cow-headed. (4)

187. Khnumu. (9)

188. Bes. (36)

189. Bes, unusual. (10)

190. Bes head. (26)

191. Tahuti of Panebes. (1)

192. Mahes. (8)

193. Anhur and Tefnut. (2)

194. Sekhmet or Bastet. (24)

195. Aegis of Bastet. (15)

196. Shu and Tefnut. (3)

197. Anpu. (23)

198. Upuatu. (1)

199. Jackal-headed archer. (1)

200. Shrewmouse figure. (1)

201. Sebek. (1)

202. Tehuti. (21)

203. Serpent-headed god. (4)

CHAPTER IX.

A

NIMAL

G

ODS

. (412)

204. Ape standing. (7)

205. Ape seated. (4)

206. Baboon. (12)

207. Apis bull. (10)

208. Hathor cow. (6)

209. Hathor cow on square. (5)

210. Hathor head. (5)

211. Ram. (11)

212. Ram’s head. (21)

213. Hare. (4)

214. Ibex. (2)

215. Barbary sheep. (1)

216. Klipspringer. (1)

217. Camel. (1)

218. Hawk-headed sphinx. (1)

219. Lion. (16)

220. Two lion fore-parts. (7)

221. Lion’s head. (4)

222. Lion and bull fore-parts. O

223. Two bull fore-parts. (3)

224. Cat. (16)

225. Cat in shrine. (2)

226. Two cats on column. (2)

227. Cat and kittens (3)

228. Set animal. (2)

229. Jackal standing. (5)

230. Two jackal heads. (1)

231. Jackal couchant. (8)

232. Shrew mouse. (5)

233. Dog. (6)

234. Pig. (5)

235. Hippopotamus. (5)

236. Taurt. (51)

237. Hippopotamus head. (16)

238. Hedgehog. (1)

239. Turtle. (4)

240. Crocodile. (18)

241. Waran. (1)

242. Lizard. (1)

243. Mentu standard. (7)

244. Hawk-headed sphinx. (1)

245. Hawk, falcon. (59)

246. Ostrich. (1)

247. Ibis. (12)

248. Vulture. (2)

249. Vulture flying. (2)

250. Goat-sucker. (2)

251. Bird heads. (6)

252. Coptic birds. (5)

253. Bird’s foot. (1)

254. Serpent with arms, Nehebka. (5)

255. Qarmut, nar . (3)

256. Oxyrhynkhos. (1)

257. Bulti. (11)

258. Electric fish. (7)

259. Lepidotos. O

260. Scorpion. (4)

261. Green beetle. (6)

262. Shuttle. (2)

263. Woman with offerings. (1)

264. Figure in tall head-dress. (1)

265. Figure in long robe. (2)

266. Figure in pointed cap. (2)

267. Flower. (3)

268. Palm column. (1)

269. Bunch of grapes. (1)

270. Flowering reed. (1)

271. Seed vessel. (3)

272. Unknown. (2)

273. Two fingers. (11)

274. Uncertain pendants. (2)

275. Star. (2)

CHAPTER X.

Positions of amulets

Properties of stones

List of groups of amulets

LIST OF PLATES

S

IMILARS

:

I. P

ARTS OF

H

UMAN

B

ODY

II. A

NIMAL AND

V

EGETABLE

P

OWERS

:

III. S

YMBOLIC

H

IEROGLYPHS

IV. S

YMBOLS OF

A

BILITY AND

A

UTHORITY

P

ROPERTY

:

V. F

UNEREAL

O

FFERINGS

VI. P

OSSESSIONS

P

ROTECTION

, C

ELESTIAL

P

ROTECTION

:

VII. M

UMMY

, G

IRDLE

, F

LAT

S

CARAB

VIII. I

NSCRIBED

S

CARAB

, B

ACKS

IX. I

NSCRIBED

S

CARAB

, F

RONTS

X. P

ECTORALS

XI. S

CARAB WITH

L

EGS AND

W

INGS

XII. V

ULTURE

, S

ERPENT

XIII. C

ASES FOR

R

EPTILES

XIV. H

ORN AND

S

HELLS

XV. S

HELLS

, I

MPLEMENTS

, F

IGURES

, B

ULLAE

XVI. F

OREHEAD

P

ENDANTS

XVII. K

NOTTED

C

ORDS

XVIII. K

NOTTED

C

ORDS

XIX. C

ORDS

, W

EAVING

, C

HARM

C

ASES

XX. H

YPOCEPHALI

XXI. I

NSCRIBED

S

TONES

, G

REEK

XXII. I

NSCRIBED

S

TONES

, N

ON

-G

REEK

XXIII. I

NSCRIBED

S

TONES

, S

EMITIC

, C

ROSS

H

UMAN

G

ODS

:

XXIV. E

YE OF

H

ORUS

XXV. E

YE OF

H

ORUS

XXVI. H

ORUS

, I

SIS

XXVII. H

ORUS

, I

SIS

, O

SIRIS

, N

EBHAT

XXVIII. O

SIRIS

, H

EART OF

O

SIRIS

XXIX. O

RACULAR

B

USTS

XXX. M

IN TO

N

EFERTUM

XXXI. H

UMAN

G

ODS

: D

WARFS

, S

AINTS

A

NIMAL

-H

EADED

G

ODS

: H

ORUS

-R

A

A

NIMAL

-H

EADED

G

ODS

:

XXXII. F

OUR

S

ONS OF

R

A

XXXIII. S

ET

, S

PHINX

, H

ATHOR

, K

HNUMU

, B

ES

XXXIV. B

ES

, T

AHUTI

, M

AHES

XXXV. A

NHUR WITH

T

EFNUT

, S

EKHMET

, B

ASTET

XXXVI. S

HU WITH

T

EFNUT

, J

ACKAL

, S

EBEK

, T

EIIUTI

A

NIMAL

G

ODS

:

XXXVII. A

PE

, B

ULL

, C

OW

XXXVIII. C

OW

, S

HEEP

, H

ARE

, L

ION

XXXIX. L

ION

, C

AT

, J

ACKAL

XL. S

HREW

M

OUSE

, D

OG

, P

IG

, H

IPPOPOTAMUS

XLI. R

EPTILES

, B

IRDS

XLII. B

IRDS

XLIII. A

NIMAL

G

ODS, AND

V

ARIOUS

O

BJECTS

XLIV. A

DDENDA.

XLV. A

DDENDA.

XLVI. A

DDENDA.

XLVII. A

DDENDA.

XLVIII. L

ISTS OF

A

MULETS

, M

ACGREGOR

P

APYRUS AND

D

ENDEREH.

XLIX. B

RONZE

G

NOSTIC

A

MULET

L. P

LANS OF

A

MULETS ON

M

UMMIES

LI. P

LANS OF

A

MULETS ON

M

UMMIES

LII. P

LANS OF

A

MULETS ON

M

UMMIES

LIII. P

LANS OF

A

MULETS ON

M

UMMIES

LIV. I

NDEX TO

A

MULETS IN

P

OSITION.

INTRODUCTION

It is a pleasure to welcome this reprint of Petrie’s Amulets, which has been unobtainable for many years and which, even after more than half a century, is still a fundamental work of reference.

Petrie, with his usual discernment, recognized the importance of classified catalogues of Egyptian artifacts (of which Amulets was the first in a distinguished series written by him), the raw material upon which future archaeologists could base their more detailed analyses of selected objects or groups of objects.

Much of the material in Amulets was bought: in Egypt by Petrie with a view to assembling a representative collection of Egyptian amulets; only a small proportion came from controlled excavations. It may well be asked therefore—particularly by scholars in other fields of Near Eastern and Aegean archaeology who refer to Petrie’s catalogues for dating Egyptian objects from excavations outside Egypt—how Petrie arrived at his dating criteria. From the point of view of modern scholarship the absence of reasoned argument from the chronological standpoint is perhaps the weakest point in Petrie’s catalogues. Yet Petrie’s vast experience in handling material of every period of Egyptian history in the field enabled him to assign dates, sometimes intuitively, to great numbers of unprovenanced objects in museums and private collections. But Petrie himself realized that his work was only a starting-point, and expected others to build on his foundations, though this hope has seldom been realized. His Amulets, in the light of almost sixty years of Egyptological scholarship can be criticized in points of detail. Nonetheless his book is still the first one to which we turn for information on one of