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Uraeus

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

The uraeus, or cobra, was the symbol of the Lower Egyptian goddess Wadjet, who protected kings from earliest times. The king wore a uraeus on his forehead as protection from his enemies. It was believed that the uraeus could spit fire at the king’s foes.
MEDIUM Bronze
DATES 664–30 B.C.E.
DYNASTY Dynasty 26, or later
PERIOD Late Period to Ptolemaic Period
DIMENSIONS 1 9/16 x 11/16 x 1 1/4 in. (4 x 1.8 x 3.2 cm)  (show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER 16.580.181
CREDIT LINE Gift of Evangeline Wilbour Blashfield, Theodora Wilbour, and Victor Wilbour honoring the wishes of their mother, Charlotte Beebe Wilbour, as a memorial to their father, Charles Edwin Wilbour
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
CAPTION Uraeus, 664–30 B.C.E. Bronze, 1 9/16 x 11/16 x 1 1/4 in. (4 x 1.8 x 3.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Evangeline Wilbour Blashfield, Theodora Wilbour, and Victor Wilbour honoring the wishes of their mother, Charlotte Beebe Wilbour, as a memorial to their father, Charles Edwin Wilbour, 16.580.181. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth,er), 16.580.181_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 16.580.181_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph (Gavin Ashworth, photographer), 2012
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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 <em>Uraeus</em>, 664–30 B.C.E. Bronze, 1 9/16 x 11/16 x 1 1/4 in. (4 x 1.8 x 3.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Evangeline Wilbour Blashfield, Theodora Wilbour, and Victor Wilbour honoring the wishes of their mother, Charlotte Beebe Wilbour, as a memorial to their father, Charles Edwin Wilbour, 16.580.181. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth,er), 16.580.181_Gavin_Ashworth_photograph.jpg)