# Jewelry and amulets of ancient Egypt

> Scarabs, the ankh and the Eye of Horus: ancient Egyptian jewelry was amulets of protection and life, made of gold, lapis lazuli, turquoise and carnelian.

- Source: https://www.711grados.com/en/ancient-egyptian-jewelry/
- Language: en
- Note: This entry was drafted with the help of AI and is pending review by the author.
- Published: 2026-06-10
- Updated: 2026-06-10
- Translation (es): https://www.711grados.com/es/joyeria-egipcia-amuletos/
- Author: Sandra Sánchez
- Site: 711 Grados (https://www.711grados.com/)

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In ancient Egypt, jewelry was far more than ornament: it was amulets that protected in life and accompanied the dead in the afterlife. Each material and shape had a religious meaning.

## Who and where

Egyptian metalwork flourished for more than three thousand years. Tombs such as Tutankhamun's, discovered in 1922, preserved a treasure of gold jewelry set with colored stones.

## Materials and techniques

- [Gold](https://www.711grados.com/en/gold/), associated with eternity and the divine.
- Lapis lazuli, imported from distant mines in present-day Afghanistan; turquoise from the Sinai peninsula; carnelian and amethyst.
- Faience and colored [glass](https://www.711grados.com/en/glass-and-crystal/) as substitutes for stones.
- Gold cells filled with inlay (cloisonné).

## Traditional pieces and their meaning

- **Eye of Horus (udjat):** a symbol of protection, health and restoration.
- **Scarab:** associated with rebirth, through the god Khepri and the rising sun.
- **Ankh:** a cross with a loop that represents life.
- **Usekh collar:** a wide semicircular beaded collar, a symbol of status.

## The tradition today

Egyptian motifs still inspire jewelry today, from scarabs to ankhs. It is worth remembering that they are religious symbols of a civilization with its own history, and using them with that respect.

> [!NOTE]
> The meanings of the pieces can vary between communities, families and periods. This entry is a general introduction; to go deeper, turn to artisans and to museums of the communities themselves.

## See also

- [Gold](https://www.711grados.com/en/gold/)
- [Glass and crystal](https://www.711grados.com/en/glass-and-crystal/)
- [Symbols in traditional jewelry and their meaning](https://www.711grados.com/en/symbols-in-traditional-jewelry/)