TURTLE AMULET Egypt, Middle Kingdom, 20th-19th... Lot 16

TURTLE AMULET Egypt, Middle Kingdom, 20th-19th century BC Garnet L_ 4,2 cm Provenance Former private collection, circa 1970 Paris, private collection A RARE EGYPTIAN MIDDLE-KINGDOM GARNET TURTLE AMULET, 20TH-19TH CENTURY B.C. 1,6 in. Length Carved from a single block of garnet, the aquatic animal is depicted in a stylized manner, with the shell clearly visible, under which the legs are visible, and the head at the top. The turtle was considered by the Egyptians as a sinister creature. By using its image, they thought they could use its harmful power to good effect. This small amulet, pierced through the neck, was intended to be worn as a pendant by a high-ranking patron.