Pendant: ram's head

Object Details

• Description

  Pendant of black ram's head with yellow and white markings. Pierced at bottom.

• Label

  Small amulets made of faience, stone, ceramic, metal, or glass were common personal possessions in ancient Egypt. They were most frequently fashioned in the form of gods and goddesses or of animals sacred to them. Amulets were believed to give their owners magical protection from a wide variety of ills and evil forces, including sickness, infertility, and death in childbirth. They were often provided with loops so they could be strung and worn as a necklace. Some amulets were made to place on the body of the deceased to protect the soul in the hereafter.

• Provenance

  To 1909

  Giovanni Dattari (circa 1858-1923), Cairo, Egypt, to 1909 [1]

  From 1909 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Giovanni Dattari in 1909 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See S.I. 189, Miscellaneous List, Egyptian Glass, pgs. 1 and 17, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. This piece is part of a collection of glass that was purchased en bloc and includes 1,388 specimens (for further purchase information, see the folder for F1909.332).

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Charles Lang Freer and Egypt (June 13, 1998 to October 2, 2011)

  Ancient Glass (June 1962 to (end date unknown))

  Glass Exhibition, in honor of VI International Congress on Glass (July 4, 1962 to December 3, 1962)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Giovanni Dattari (1858-1923) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Eastern Mediterranean

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Jewelry and Ornament

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s

• Name

  Dattari, Giovanni, Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  Eastern Mediterranean

• Topic

  Rod-forming, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Rams, Mosaic glass, Ancient Egyptian Art, Core-forming

• Culture

  Egyptians

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry