Design amulet depicting a schematic human figure

The amulet made of green glazed steatite forms a small disc with a loop on the back. This type of objects is often called a button seal because of their similarity to modern buttons. An incised design of a squatting man with raised arms decorates the flat base of the object. Similar design amulets are characteristic to the 9th–11th dynasties (ca. 2118–1940 BC) and could have also been used as seals in certain cases. However, many examples were found during excavations incorporated in strings of beads and amulets on the neck of the deceased, underlining the magical protective significance of the object. It is also interesting to note that these objects are more characteristic of women’s and children’s burials in the cemetery at Qau in Upper Egypt.