Large Egyptian Faience Djed Pillar Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C. Olive-green glazed composition amulet with ribbed panel, flared base; mounted on a custom-made stand. Cf. similar in the collection of the British Museum under accession no.EA58105. 78 grams total, 12.5 cm high including stand (5 in.).

Ex Phillipps collection, with old labels to verso. Private collection of Mr T.H., Norfolk, UK.

The djed pillar signifies the concepts of 'permanence' and 'stability' and was a common funerary amulet from the Old Kingdom onwards. It was first associated with the gods Ptah and Sokar, but later became a symbol of Osiris, representing the god's backbone. In this context, the djed pillar appears in Chapter 155 of the Book of the Dead, concerned with the resurrection of the deceased.