Faience amulet, Anubis, Egyptian, 4000 to 30 BC

Many people still believe that amulets have magical or spiritual powers, bringing good luck and good health while providing protection from sickness and harm. Anubis is the Egyptian god of mummification and the guardian of tombs and the afterlife. He is often represented as a jackal or as a man with the head of a dog-like creature. This glazed ceramic (faience) amulet is just less than 30 mm tall. During mummification, when the body was wrapped, amulets and charms were placed inside the cloth. This may account for the amulet’s small size.