A rich light-blue glazed faience amulet of the goddess Tawaret (meaning 'she who is great'), also known as Thoeris. She is depicted as a female hippopotamus standing on two legs, the limbs and paws of a lion, pendulous female human breasts, and the back and tail of a Nile crocodile. Suspension loop to the rear of the shoulders.
Egyptian Late period: 6th-1st century B.C.
Condition: Very Fine; complete and intact.
Height 4 cms (1.6 ins).
Provenance: From A.B. private collection UK acquired during the 1930's and 1940's.
Reference: See Carol Andrews' Amulets of Ancient Egypt (London 1994) no. 39 for several examples of the type.
Tawaret was the goddess who protected women during childbirth. She was a household deity with no temple dedicated to her, but some form of shrine was in almost every house. Many women would have carried an amulet like this to give them help.