{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O84381"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84381/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF6969/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF6969/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AF6969","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF6970","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF6968","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY5165","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O84381/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O84381","accessionNumber":"486-1891","objectType":"Amulet","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Amulets were meant to protect the owner from evil. This amulet takes the form of the head of Hercules, one of the most famous heroes of Classical mythology. In Egypt during the Roman period (30 BC-AD 639), Hercules was a symbol of power as well as of protection during times of war.\r\n\r\nThe turquoise glaze on this amulet was popular in the pre-Islamic Middle East. In Egypt, turquoise was associated with good fortune as the colour of the life-giving River Nile. Under Islam, the lucky associations of the blue-green colour persisted in an informal way.","physicalDescription":"Moulded, turquoise-green glazed head of Hercules wearing the lion skin.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"faience ware","id":"x36910"}],"techniques":[{"text":"moulded","id":"x30076"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Moulded, turquoise-glazed faience ware","categories":[{"text":"Amulets","id":"THES48995"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"}],"styles":[{"text":"Egypt, Roman period","id":"x29294"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"CER","id":"THES48594"},"images":["2006AF6969","2006AF6970","2006AF6968","2018KY5165"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"42 (VA)","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"1W","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Head of Hercules amulet","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Karanis","id":"x28950"},"association":{"text":"found","id":"x42575"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2nd century-3rd century","earliest":"0100-01-01","latest":"0300-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"9.53","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Objects 440-1891 to 559-1891 were purchased together from W.M.F. Petrie, for £12 6 shillings.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Moulded amulet in the form of the head of Hercules, Egypt, 2nd-3rd century AD.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Hercules","id":"N179"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"mythology","id":"AAT55985"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Jameel Gallery\n\n1–2 Turquoise Glaze\r\n\r\nTurquoise glaze, which was made by adding copper, was popular in the pre-Islamic Middle East. In Egypt, turquoise was associated with good fortune as the colour of the life-giving River Nile. For this reason, it was used on amulets, which were meant to protect the owner from evil. Under Islam, the lucky associations of the blue-green colour persisted in an informal way. \r\n \r\n2 Head of Hercules Amulet \r\nEgypt, AD 100–300 \r\nMoulded faience with coloured glaze\r\nMuseum no. 486-1891\r\n","date":{"text":"Jameel Gallery","earliest":"2006-07-20","latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["486-1891"],"accessionNumberNum":"486","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1891,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LM5653","2019LT2090","2019LU2927"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-29","recordCreationDate":"2003-09-19","availableToBook":false}}