An Egyptian Neith Shuttle Amulet, Late Period, ca. 664 -332 BCE

This figure of eight object, perhaps a shield, with two arrows crossed behind it. The fetish of Neith as amulet, however, which does not occur before the Twenty-sixty Dynasty, represents two bows tied together, a version which had long since ousted the original fetish in most other sources. Often there is a total lack of internal detail, the outline reduced to two fishtail ends and two long convex sides. Since Neith was one of the four goddesses who protected the dead, her amulet would provide the deceased with specialist protection but also link them with her warlike power and ancient majesty.Condition: Intact and in very good condition overallDimensions: Length: 2.3 cm (0.90 inches)Provenance: Private collection of Geoffrey Metz, Egyptologist, Sweden. Metz catalogue number M1351.