Art Institute of Chicago
Amulet of a Clenched Fist
EgyptianLinkedCulture matchlcp-b3f2759025d0
- Date
- Roman Period (30 BCE–395 CE)
- Medium
- Faience
- Culture
- Egypt
- Department
- Arts of Africa
- Institution
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Object ID
- 140812
Ancient Egyptians had several terms for small objects like this, which we call “amulets.” Worn by the living and the dead, these charms were meant to bring protection, health, and good luck, ensuring the bearer’s well-being in both life and the afterlife. Body parts were a common subject for amulets because ancient Egyptians believed they would help the deceased be reborn in the afterlife with all their limbs. Many variations of hand amulets exist, showing hands open, attached to arms, or closed into fists, as with this example that depicts the thumb protruding between the middle and index fingers of a clenched left hand.
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Provenance & credit
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- Credit line
- Gift of Henry H. Getty and Charles L. Hutchinson
- Provenance
- Reverend Chauncey Murch (1859-1907), Luxor, Egypt; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1894; price reimbursed by Henry H. Getty and Charles L. Hutchinson, 1894.
Linked open data
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- Object type
- AAT300209261
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