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Glazed bead: E.131.1921

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Current Location: Gallery 24

Titles

Glazed bead

Entities

Categories

Description

Faience amulet in the form of a rattle or sistrum, handle missing.

Faience amulet in the form of a sistrum- a traditional Egyptian rattle that was decorated with the head of Hathor at the top of the handle and showed a shrine with a cobra. Bars would be placed through this model shrine and would make a noise when shaken. The amulet was therefore associated with the goddess Hathor,. Hathor was often honoured by women and seen as a fertility god as well as one who would lead women through to the afterlife in the form of Hathor of the West. This connection also represents rebirth in the afterlife. From grave 1101 in the Sanam cemtery. The handle in this case is missing.

Measurements and weight

Height: 0.02 m

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1921) by Oxford Expedition to Nubia (1912-13)

Dating

Meroitic
Production date: circa 750 BC

Materials used in production

Faïence

Techniques used in production

Mouldmade

Identification numbers

Accession number: E.131.1921
Primary reference Number: 52149
Oldadmincategory: A

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Friday 18 July 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Antiquities

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Glazed bead" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/52149 Accessed: 2025-12-09 05:21:16

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/52149 |title=Glazed bead |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-09 05:21:16|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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