The restrung necklace is composed of fourteen cobalt blue faience openwork udjat eye beads, interspersed with sheet gold tubular beads.
The restrung necklace is composed of fourteen cobalt blue faience openwork udjat eye beads, interspersed with sheet gold tubular beads.
Provenance
With Byron Zoumboulakis, Geneva, 1970s
With Galerie Nefer, Zurich, 1978 Private Collection, Aarau, thence by descent Private Collection, Switzerland
Exhibitions
On Loan: Antikenmuseum Basel & Sammlung Ludwig, 1998 – 2022
Literature
Udjat eye amulets represent the eye of Horus and are the best-known of all Egyptian protective amulets. Its forms and material are many and varied. If one udjat provided protection, multiple would provide even more; this group is clearly a specially commissioned set of finely moulded and elegant udjats in the dark blue glaze so distinctive of Amarna amulets. For further discussion and examples of udjat eyes see C. Andrews, Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, pp. 43-4; W.M.F. Petrie, Amulets, London, 1914, pl. XXV.