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Fly amulet

Late Period
664–332 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 127
The fly whisks that Egyptian artists depicted in the hands of Pharaohs and high officials are potent reminders of how irksome the hosts of flies were in ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptians, however, seemed to have held flies in high esteem, presumably because of this insect’s powers of fast reaction and indomitable, insistent presence.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Fly amulet
  • Period: Late Period
  • Dynasty: Dynasty 26–29
  • Date: 664–332 BCE
  • Geography: From Egypt
  • Medium: Faience
  • Dimensions: h. 0.6 cm (1/4 in); l. 1.2 cm (1/2 in), w. 0.8 cm (5/16 in)
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Mary Anna Palmer Draper, 1915
  • Object Number: 15.43.47
  • Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

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