Uraeus Amulet of Djedmutesankh

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Priestess of Amun Djedmutesankh was buried with this miniature gold uraeus (rearing cobra) tied to the forehead of her mummy. The uraeus was a symbol of royalty, worn on the brow to protect the individual by spitting fire at his or her enemies. This cobra was thought by the excavators to reflect Djedmutesankh's status as a daughter or wife of one of the High Priests of Amun who controlled the Theban region during Dynasty 21. For other objects from the burial of Djedmutesankh, see 25.3.1-.3; 154a–d;.17-.18; .24; .27; and .167–.170.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.

Metropolitan Museum of Art