Amulet of Osiris

Osiris amulets are quite rare compared to other ancient Egyptian objects depicting the god. One main type of these objects is a small amulet made of glazed Egyptian faience, depicting the god in profile, in a crouching position. The male figure is wearing a mummy shroud, which gives his anatomy a formless appearance, while on his head, there is the usual attribute of Osiris, the atef crown, which combines the White Crown of Upper Egypt and two ostrich feathers. Other regal insignia of Osiris are the false beard and the shepherd’s crook and flail, symbols of kingship and fertility, customarily held in his hands. The latter are difficult to identify in the case of amulets.

The god’s skin was often green, which is also reflected in the greenish colour of the faience, referring to the fertility aspect of Osiris, who was the god of vegetation and the mythical ruler of the afterlife. The owner of the tiny amulet could hope for fertility and regeneration, and an eternal afterlife. The amulet type, which is designed in relief, does not contain a loop for suspension, and its back is flat, making it unsuitable for hanging and wearing on the neck. The few known examples of this object type date from the Ramesside period and the Late Period.