Keywords: Egyptian - Heart Amulet - Walters 481657 - Reverse.jpg The ancient Egyptians regarded the heart as the source of human intellect memory conscience and passions Believed to embody one's true character the heart was weighed on the balance of the Court of the Underworld to ascertain if the owner was worthy of being reborn in the afterlife Heart amulets were part of the amulet set of the deceased beginning in the New Kingdom The meaning of such heart amulets may be that of a substitute for the real heart Several spells from The Book of the Dead deal with the danger that could arise if the heart was taken away from a person or damaged; it was thought that such a separation could destroy his/her existence in the afterlife between 712 304 BC Late Period faience cm 3 1 13 0 35 accession number 48 1657 7479 Henry Walters Baltimore date and mode of acquisition unknown Walters Art Museum Henry Walters Acquired by Henry Walters Jewelry - Ancient to Modern The Walters Art Gallery Baltimore 1979-1980 place of origin Egypt Walters Art Museum license Ancient Egyptian amulets in the Walters Art Museum Ancient Egyptian faience in the Walters Art Museum Media contributed by the Walters Art Museum needs category review Heart amulet |