Funerary amulet depicting one of the Four Sons of Horus, Duamutef
Ptolemaic Period
This jackal-headed figure represents the god Duamutef, who protected the stomach. He is one of the four so-called sons of Horus that are often depicted as mummies, each with a different head. The sons of Horus were deities who protected the internal organs and are probably best known from their representations on the lids of the canopic jars that contained mummified viscera. They were also thought to assist in the process of mummification and to provide nourishment, possibly because they were associated with the internal organs. Thus they had a general protective function for the deceased. Here Duamutef is depicted holding a long piece of fabric, which represents the linen used in the mummification ritual.
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