Ancient Egyptian Amulets: What They Meant and How They Were Used

Small amulets appear throughout thousands of years of ancient Egyptian history. They took many forms—from eyes and animals to deities, pillars and scarab beetles—and were made to be worn, carried or placed with the dead.

These objects belonged to ancient Egyptian religious and magical practices. Calling all of them “witchcraft” would impose a modern category on a varied culture with its own beliefs and terminology.

More than decoration

An amulet’s significance could come from several connected features: its shape, material, colour, inscription and the actions or words associated with it.

Some were pierced or fitted with loops so they could be worn as pendants. Others were attached to rings, wrapped in fabric or placed among a mummy’s bandages.

According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s overview of Egyptian amulets, many were probably inexpensive and accessible, although gold, silver and other costly materials were also used by wealthier people.

Faience—a glazed material often coloured blue or green—was particularly common. These colours could evoke life and regeneration, meaning that the material and colour contributed to an amulet’s significance rather than merely decorating it.

The wedjat eye

One of the best-known forms is the wedjat eye, commonly called the Eye of Horus.

It combines features of a human eye and a falcon eye. In Egyptian mythology, the eye of the god Horus was injured or taken by Seth and later restored by Thoth. This restoration connected the symbol with healing, protection and regeneration.

The ancient name wedjat has been translated as “the one that is sound.” Amulets in this form were used by both the living and the dead.

A faience example in The Met’s collection, dated to approximately 1080–664 BCE, measures only 3.4 centimetres long. Its small size gives us some idea of how easily such an object could be worn or placed with a person.

The wedjat did not necessarily have only one fixed meaning. Its associations could overlap, and its purpose could depend upon who used it and where it was placed.

Scarabs and heart scarabs

Scarabs were inspired by the scarab beetle. Ancient Egyptians associated the beetle’s movement with the sun’s journey across the sky, helping make it a symbol of life and regeneration.

Some scarab-shaped objects also served as seals. Their flat undersides could carry names, titles, symbols or short inscriptions that could be pressed into clay.

It is important, however, not to treat every scarab as a heart scarab. Heart scarabs were a particular funerary form connected with beliefs about judgement after death. They were intended to help the deceased when the heart was weighed against maat, the principle of truth and justice.

Hatnefer, a woman buried at Thebes during the early Eighteenth Dynasty, had more than one scarab among her burial objects. One small glazed-steatite scarab was found tied to her left thumb with linen cord. Its underside bears the name and a title of Hatshepsut along with two kneeling figures.

Hatnefer also had a much larger heart scarab placed on her chest. This distinction is a useful reminder that two objects sharing the shape of a beetle could have different inscriptions, placements and purposes.

How to examine an amulet carefully

When looking at an amulet in a museum collection, ask:

• When and where was it made?
• What material and colour were used?
• Does it have a hole, loop or cord showing how it was worn?
• Was it discovered in a home, settlement, temple or burial?
• Is there an inscription on it?
• Does the museum describe the object’s purpose as certain, probable or only possible?

The final question is especially important. Ancient Egypt existed for thousands of years, and beliefs and practices changed over time. An interpretation appropriate to one object, period or burial should not automatically be applied to every similar-looking object.

Studying these details allows an amulet to remain part of its own historical and religious setting instead of turning it into a generic modern symbol.