An Ancient Egyptian carnelian amulet, finely carved in the shape of a heart, known as ‘ib’ in Egyptian hieroglyphs. Taking the form of a jar, the amulet features a rounded body, convex in profile. Two lug handles protrude from either side. To the top, is a rectangular lid surmounted by a ribbed knob, pierced horizontally for suspension. The reverse of the amulet is flat and unworked. Signs of wear as consistent with age, such as minor scratches and earthly encrustations, to the surface. In Egyptian culture and mythology, the heart was perceived as the most important organ, the seat of intelligence that decided all feelings and actions, housing all the memories of a person. It was believed that the heart was weighed in the afterlife against a feather representing ma’at, an Egyptian concept of truth and justice, at the Weighing of the Heart Ceremony. If their heart weighed the same or less, they were worthy enough to proceed onto the afterlife, but if it weighed more, they were destroyed. These heart amulets would have been worn as protection for the beholder’s in death, used exclusively for mummies, to ensure a positive judgement. The amulet became so important that it was bestowed on every mummy until the end of the Pharaonic Period. Measurements: (circa) L 1.8cm x W 1.2cm Provenance: Ex. early 20th century U.K. collection