The 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period, is traditionally placed by scholars at the end of the Third Intermediate Period or at the beginning of the Late Dynastic Period. In either case, the Saite Period rose from the ashes of a decentralized Egyptian state that had been ravaged by foreign occupation. Supported by the assistance of a powerful family centered in the Delta town of Sais, the Assyrians finally drove the Nubians out of Egypt. At the close of this campaign, Ashurbanipal’s kingdom was at the height of its power; however, due to civil strife back east, he was forced to withdraw his forces from Egypt. Psamtik I, a member of the family from Sais, seized this opportunity to assert his authority over the entire Nile Valley and found his own dynasty, the 26th of Egyptian history. Known as the Saite Period due to the importance of the capital city Sais, the 26th Dynasty, like many before it, sought to emulate the artistic styles of past pharaoh in order to bolster their own claims to power and legitimize their authority.
Faience, which dates back to predynastic times, at least 5,000 years, is a glasslike non-clay substance made of materials common to Egypt: ground quartz, crushed quartz pebbles, flint, a soluble salt-like baking soda, lime and ground copper, which provided the characteristic color. The dried objects went into kilns looking pale and colorless but emerged a sparkling "Egyptian blue." Called tjehnet by the Ancient Egyptians, meaning that which is brilliant or scintillating, faience was thought to be filled with the undying light of the sun, moon and stars and was symbolic of rebirth. Ancient Egyptians believed the small blue-green objects helped prepare them for eternity in the afterlife.
The first examples of amulets appeared in Ancient Egypt as early as 4000 B.C. Believed to possess magical powers that protected the wearer or bestowed upon the properties they symbolized, amulets were worn both by the living as well as the dead. Throughout their evolution, talismans were crafted from a variety of materials including precious metals such as gold and silver, semiprecious stone like jasper and carnelian, as well as other more affordable glazed compositions such as faience. The particular powers of an individual amulet were based upon its specific shape, although the material and even the color of the charm could affect its magical abilities. While many of the amulets created to be worn by the living could also be worn after death, there also existed a specific group of charms that were made specifically to be placed upon the mummified remains of the deceased. All together, amulets represent an important class of Ancient Egyptian art that furthers our understanding of their complex religious beliefs.
Nephthys was a funerary goddess who plays a subordinate role in the Osiris myth. She is traditionally depicted wearing the hieroglyphic symbol for her name, which means, “lady of the mansion,” upon her head. According to mythology, she was the daughter of Geb and Nut, and is sometimes partnered with the god Seth. However, she was also reported to have had a liaison with Osiris. The jackal headed god Anubis was borne from this affair. During the Old Kindom, Nephthys was frequently represented alongside Isis as a protector of the pharaoh. She was the escort who lead the deceased ruler into the darkness of the Underworld. There are indications that she might have originally played a more important role in the funerary rite; however, it appears that her significance was diminished as the Orisis myth increasingly became the central focus of Ancient Egyptian funerary beliefs.
Here, Nephthys is represented standing with one leg forward upon a low rectangular base with her arms clutched against her sides. She wears a tight fitting dress and a long wig that falls over her back and the top of her breasts. Her head is crowned by the hieroglyphic characters that spell her name. These characters have been interpreted as a house with a basket on top. Giver her connotations as a funerary deity, it is likely that this amulet was once entombed alongside the physical remains of a deceased individual, so that Nephthys would be able to guide them into the afterlife.
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