Heart Amulet from Ancient Egypt, c.1500BC
This amulet was designed to protect the heart. It was used during the mummification process of a dead body in Ancient Egypt. The heart was a special organ and had to be left in the body. They believed it would be weighed against the feather of truth to see if they could enter the Afterlife.
The brain was not thought as important and was removed with a hook. Other organs like the liver were removed and preserved in jars.
This carnelian bead was included in the mummy wrappings if the heart was damaged during mummification. The Egyptians thought the heart was the centre of intelligence and emotion. It was left in the body during mummification. If it was removed by mistake it was sewn back into place.
Four chapters of the Egyptian Book of the Dead discuss why the heart should not be separated from the body. The weighing of the heart against the feather of truth would decide whether the deceased could enter the Afterlife.
Heart amulets became some of the most important type of amulet in this process. One or more were placed on the bodies of nearly all mummies. Some examples are shaped like a heart. Others have a scarab shape as the beetle was associated with rebirth.
Red carnelian was often used for heart scarabs but green and blue stones were also used.
Stone canopic jars were made to store the liver, lungs, stomach and intestines of a mummified body. In later years the removed organs were separately preserved and placed back in the body.
