Sistrum with the Name of King Amasis

Sistra are cultic musical instruments, which when shaken produced a rattling sound that was thought to be soothing and pacifying. These cultic instruments are closely connected to the goddess Hathor and they most commonly include the Hathor emblem, which contains a woman’s head with cow’s ears. The top of the piece here is in the shape of a naos between two volutes and thus belongs to a type of sistrum called "naos sistrum." This top part originally held three cross bars, as is evident from the three holes on the sides of the piece. Small sounding plates were presumably originally inserted onto these now missing bars in order to produce a rattling sound. Many sistra made out of faience are known. They might have been meant as gifts to a deity rather than as instruments that were played often, as the material would be too fragile for frequent use. The handle of the piece has two inscriptions that each give two of the names of king Amasis.