Literature

Egyptian amulets were believed to possess positive properties that could be magically bestowed upon the owner. This magical power could be derived from several elements of the amulet: the material, colour, shape, decoration, and the object that the amulet was intended to represent. Amulets could be worn with other pieces of jewellery or sewn into clothes.

In ancient Egypt, falcons were most often associated with the sky god Horus, the son of Osiris and Isis. He was a deity associated with the sky but, more importantly, represented the embodiment of divine kingship, making him the protector of the reigning pharaoh.

Such amulets were made from many different precious and semi-precious materials, and were believed to channel the magical powers of Horus, protecting and healing the wearer. The choice of material was of symbolic significance also, and certain stones had particular functions; feldspar for example symbolised vegetation and fertility. The stone, mined in the Libyan desert, was a prized and popular material used to make jewellery and amulets in ancient Egypt.