A rare Egyptian Glass Heart Amulet, New Kingdom, 18th - 19th Dynasty, ca 1550-1290 BC

Of stylized heart form, rendered in vibrant turquoise glass with trailing bands of darker blue and pale yellow, the surface subtly modeled to create a sense of volume. The amulet is pierced at the top for attachment and now mounted as a pendant on a modern 14K gold chain. Heart amulets held profound significance in ancient Egyptian belief, representing the ib, or heart, regarded as the seat of intellect, memory, and moral conscience. In funerary tradition, the heart played a central role in the judgment of the dead, weighed against the feather of Ma’at. As such, heart amulets were among the most meaningful protective forms, intended to safeguard the wearer both in life and in the afterlife.

Examples executed in glass are particularly desirable. During the New Kingdom, glass was a relatively new and highly prized material, produced through complex and closely guarded techniques. It was often associated with elite workshops and royal patronage, and valued not only for its rarity but for its ability to achieve brilliant, saturated colors that imitated precious stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli. The vivid tonality and fluid trailing seen here reflect the sophistication of Egyptian glassmakers at the height of this innovation, when glass objects were luxury items rather than commonplace adornments.

The present amulet stands out for both its material and its preservation, combining the symbolic importance of the heart form with the visual appeal and status of early glass. Such pieces would have been worn as protective ornaments and also served as markers of refinement and access to high-quality materials. 

Medium: Glass

Dimensions:   Pendant Height: 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm), combined with a 20" modern chain of 14K yellow gold.

Condition: The heart amulet is intact and in excellent condition overall. It was converted to a pendant around the 1950s using 14K gold. An exceptional example.

Provenance: Dr. Nora Scott (July 14, 1905 – April 4, 1994), Curator of Egyptian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, (retired 1972, and acquired from the Metropolitan Museum of Art by deaccession. Gifted to L. Virginia Burton (1918–2009) Associate Curator of Egyptian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (retired 1977), and then by descent.