Lot 113
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TWO-FINGER AMULET
EGYPT, LATE PERIOD 664 - 332 B.C.
Auction: 26 November 2025 at 14:00 GMT
Description
carved dark stone, composed of the index and middle fingers from a right hand, the obverse with articulation for the nails and knuckles, the reverse flat
Dimensions
9.7cm long
Provenance
John Hunt, Mayor of Preston (fl. 1920s), United Kingdom, thence by descent
John Hunt was the Mayor of Preston during the 1920s and played a key role in the town’s civic life. In 1927, he hosted King Fuad I of Egypt during the monarch’s visit to Horrockses Cotton Mills. As a gesture of thanks, Hunt was gifted a number of Egyptian artefacts, including the present piece.
Footnote
This life-size amulet, depicting two stylised fingers, was used exclusively in burials. Typically placed on the lower left torso, it symbolically healed the incision made during mummification to remove the organs. Known examples date to the Late Period and are made from dark stones such as basalt, steatite or obsidian. As C. Andrews notes, their position suggests they represent the embalmer’s fingers, intended to reaffirm the embalming or protect the most vulnerable area of the body.
For a similar example, please see The Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta, United States, accession number 2018.010.1008.