Frog seal amulet

This finely modelled seal amulet made of turquoise green Egyptian faience depicts a crouching frog. The eyes of the animal were highlighted with brown glaze. Living in large numbers in the shallows and marshes of the Nile, the fecund frog was associated with fertility and regeneration, similarly to the crocodile, hippopotamus, fish, duck, monkey, hedgehog and other animals. Amulets in the shape of a frog often represent the amphibian goddess Heqet, who was associated with childbirth and fertility. Ancient Egyptians believed that wearing frog-shaped amulets could ensure fertility and an easy delivery. Both men and women wore the frog in the hope of a successful rebirth in the afterlife. The “Amun-Re, the lord” inscription on the obverse is praising the chief god of ancient Thebes. The inscription is encircled by a thin oval line. According to ancient Egyptian beliefs, the names, images or symbols of the gods held magical powers, which could protect the bodies of mortals during their lifetime or help them on their journey through the netherworld. The piercing through the longitudinal axis of the amulet suggests that it was originally worn on a chain or set in a ring.