Archaeological Museum of Bologna

This amulet is a miniature representation of an object appeared in Egypt between the end of the 4th and beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, and still used in some populations of African territory.

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The headrest amulet is the miniature of a domestic object: a pedestal with a wide base is surmounted by a saddle that, covered with fabric or a small cushion, was used to sustain the head while sleeping. For the Egyptians, the object had a magical value protecting the sleeper and the deceased; the headrests used daily were generally made of wood, whereas those for burials were made of prized materials such as alabaster and ivory. These miniature specimens, made of hematite or other dark stones, had to sustain the head of the deceased magically to prevent it from being detached from the body, as this would endanger the prospect of eternal life.

Provenance: Provenance unknown. Palagi Collection
Datation: 21st–30th dynasty (1075–342 BC)
Material: Hematite
Dimensions: mm 20 x 9,5 x 38
Inventory #: KS 1335