\paperw4260 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 This piece of ceremonial jewelry is made of gold and inlaid with cornelian, turquoise and lapis lazuli, which give it a vivid polychro
my. The outer molding reproduces the faτade of a temple, with supporting pillars and architrave.\par
At the two upper corners can be seen the loops to which the bindings were attached.\par
The openwork decoration represents a series of symbolic animals
: at the bottom we see the winged serpent, protective deity of Middle Egypt; the vulture, protector of the North, is next to it. The vulture with a ramÆs head, symbolic animal of the sun, is set in the upper part.\par
A scroll with the name of Rameses I
I in hieroglyphic characters is set above this group that embraces the whole world. Thus the cosmic forces symbolized by the mythological animals extend their protection to the sovereign and, through him, the whole of Egypt.\par
The specimen was found a
t Saqqarah, in the necropolis where the sacred oxen that the Egyptians identified with the god Apis were buried. The pectoral was attached to the mummy of one of these animals.
