An Egyptian Menkhet Counterpoise Amulet, Late Period, ca. 664 - 332 BCE

Carved from dark, speckled grano-diorite, this small amulet takes the distinctive flat-backed, bell-shaped form associated with the menkhet counterpoise. The front is gently rounded, tapering toward the top, while the lower edge is finished with a shallow, irregular fringe that recalls the weighted terminals of elaborate counterpoises worn with broad collars. The upper section is narrowed and slightly flared, suggesting an attachment point or collar junction, as in full-scale examples.

Amulets of this form are characteristic of private burials of the Late Dynastic and Graeco-Roman periods and have been the subject of considerable scholarly discussion. They appear to symbolize clothing and adornment for the deceased in the afterlife. In the MacGregor Papyrus list, a hoop-shaped counterpoise with a fringed edge is named menkhet, a word that may carry a deliberate pun with menkhet, meaning “clothing,” though written differently in hieroglyphs. From the New Kingdom onward, an apparently identical form with the phonetic value pr (aper) is used in words meaning “equipped,” “furnished,” or “provided with,” suggesting that the amulet may instead represent an elaborate apron or item of ritual attire.

The choice of material is significant. Dark, hard stones such as grano-diorite, quartzite, and porphyry were preferred for these amulets, reinforcing both durability and symbolic permanence. The surface of this example retains a natural, slightly granular polish, with minor tonal variations that highlight the stone's density and the careful yet economical carving typical of Late Period amulet production.

Reference: Carol Andrews, Amulets of Ancient Egypt, University of Texas Press, 1994, p. 97. 

Medium: Grano-diorite

Dimensions: Height: 3/4 inch (1.9 cm)

Condition: Overall intact and in excellent condition

Provenance: Private Maryland collection of a diplomat, acquired while serving in Egypt between 1949 and 1956, and then by descent.

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