Hi Nassif,
Your
amulets appear to be ancient. The first one is referred to as a papyrus on a plaque, or papyrus
column on a plaque. It was a "mummy"
amulet, one that was not used by the living. Is there a possibility that it could be made of green feldspar, also known as amazon
stone or amazonite? All know examples of this
amulet were made from hard stones. Green feldspar was the most popular material. I checked several publications and here are the results. Note the exception in
Andrews as to materials.
1.
Acquaro, Enrico Amuleti Egiziani ed Egittizzanti del Museo Nazionale di Cagliari, Centro di Studio
per la Civilta Fenicia e Punica, Presso L'Instituto di Studi del Vicino Oriente Dell'Universita di
Roma, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche,
Roma, 1977. Silent, no mention.
2.
Andrews, Carol
Amulets of Ancient
Egypt, University of Texas Press/British Museum, Austin/London, 1994: pp. 81/82, Plate 83d (unusual in that it is made of green glazed composition.
Andrews writes: "To the Egyptians the green of fresh vegetation which symbolized new life and, by extension, resurrection, was exemplified by the papyrus
plant which, as the wadj or papyrus
scepter in amuletic form, was first mentioned in
Coffin Text No. 106. By the time the Book of the Dead was compiled it
had become a prescribed
amulet. Both Chapters 159 and 160 concern a papyrus
column of feldspar to be placed at the throat of the deceased. 'If it is sound, I am healthy, if it is undamaged, I am uninjured, if it is not struck, I am unwounded... my limbs shall not become dried out.' The accompanying vignettes represent the
amulet either as an individual papyrus
column, or - in Late Period papyri - as a plaque with a
column (or two) incised on it or carved upon it in raised relief. Examples of both
types exist, and although their colour is predominately green, glazed composition occurs as often as feldspar with some
glass and glazedsteatite; gilded
wood, haematite and ecen cornelian were also employed..."
3.
Blanchard, R.H. Handbook of
Egyptian. and Mummy
Amulets, Cairo, 1909; Attic Books,
New York, re-print, n.d., paper: page 27, Numbers 367 and 368, Plate LI, text reads "The UATCH, or papyrus
column, in green feldspar. These were placed upon the neck of the mummy to ensure eternal
youth and vigor."
4.
PETRIE, W.M.F.
Amulets,
London, 1914. page 13, Number 21, Papyrus on a Plaque, Plate II, Numbers 21a, b, and c. Text reads " Name: Uaz. Meaning: To be as durable as neshem
stone - green feldspar.Chapter 160 of the Book of the Dead is as follows:'Giving the
column of green seldspar. I am the
column of green feldspar which cannot be crushed, and which is raised by the hand of Tahuti. Injury is an abomination to it. If it is safe, I am safe; if it is not injured, I am not injured, if it receives no cut, I receive no cut. Said by Tahuti, arise, come in
peace, Lord of
Heliopolis, lord who resides in Pu. When
Shu has arrived, he found the
stone at Shenemu, as its name is neshem. He (deceased) makes
his abode in the enclosure of the great god; whilst Tum, resides in
his dwelling,
his limbs will never be crushed.' Period: As these are always of hard
stone they probably belong entirely to the XXVIth dynasty, before
glass became common for
amulets."
5.
Reisner, M.G.A.
Amulets,
Catalogue Général
des Antiquités Égyptiennes du Museé du Caire, Nos. 5218-6000 et 12001-12527, Service
des Antiquités de L’Égypte, Cairo, 1907 (
Part I). Silent.
6.
Reisner, M.G.A. ,
et al. Amulets, Volume II,
Catalogue Général
des Antiquités Égyptiennes du
Musée du Caire, Nos. 12528-13595, Service
des Antiquités de L’Égypte, Cairo, Imprimerie de L’Institut Français D’Archéologie Orientale, 1958, completed posthumously by museum staff. Silent.
7. Rowe, Alan A
Catalogue of
Egyptian Scarabs, Scaraboids,
Seals and
Amulets in the
Palestine Archaeological Museum, Government of
Palestine, Department of
Antiquities, Cairo, Imprimerie de L’Institut Français D’Archéologie Orientale, 1936. Silent.
More another day. I
hope this helps.
Russ
