Origin: Egypt
Circa: 1550 BC to 1070 BC
Dimensions: 1.25" (3.2cm) high x .375" (1.0cm) wide
Collection: Egyptian
Style: New Kingdom
Medium: Faience
Additional Information: Sold
Taueret was an important member of the Egyptian pantheon. She was worshipped on a national level as well as being a widely venerated popular goddess. She was believed to be the protectress of pregnant women, and the Egyptian book of the dead refers to her as a deity who protects the souls of the deceased. This amulet depicts the goddess in her form as a hippopotamus with anthropomorphic attributes. She stands on her hind legs with her long hair falling down her back, terminating in a thick braid. She appears naked with her pendulous human breasts hanging above her rotund belly (her name means "large one"). In Egyptian mythology, she is sometimes considered to be the consort of the god set, who is frequently depicted as a hippopotamus. She is also associated with the goddess Hathor, and is occasionally depicted wearing her horned-disk headdress. Her affable appearance reflects her role as a helpful protective goddess, which probably explains her immense appeal to the Ancient Egyptians as well as to us. - (PF.2985)

Antiquities
Ancient Egyptian