Egyptian Pataikos Amulet

$157.96

A dark blue faience amulet of the god, Pataikos. The amulet shows Pataikos holding his hands intertwined before his protruding stomach. His legs appear bent out to the sides, and his head is disproportionally large. His facial features are also unusually large and exaggerated. The reverse has been smoothed, but is otherwise undecorated. The suspension hole runs longitudinally through the neck.

Date: Circa 6th - 4th Century BC
Period: Late Dynastic Period
Condition: Very fine condition.

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SKU: AS-143 Category: Tag:

The god Pataikos is so-called after a passage in Herodotus, which describes the protection-possessing power belonging to the image of a Phoenician dwarf. He was known as the son of Ptah, the craftsman’s god. In Old Kingdom scenes depicting daily life, dwarfs were always present among the workers in precious metal workshops. The finest images of Pataikos date to the Third Intermediate period, and later Pataikos figures often held snakes, which made them harmless to people, especially vulnerable children. Pataikos was very popular from the New Kingdom onwards, providing protection from creatures like snakes and crocodiles.

Weight 4.0 g
Culture

Faience

Region

Egyptian Mythology

Country