Figures of animals used for magical protection ar often termed amulets of assimilation and can b assigned to what Sir Flinders Petrie the father o Egyptology designated as the homopoeic category.
The idea of wearing zoomorphic amulets was based upo the belief that one or more perceived characteristic of an animal would pass to the human being wearing it.
This varied according to the animal owls are said t be good luck in some parts of the world even today and some animal parts were believed to endow th wearer with good fortune. An enduring modern paralle for this ancient practice is the rabbits foot. This apple-green faience amulet depicts a recumben maned (i.e. male) lion at rest upon an integra rectangular base. The head is held majestically erect,
the forelegs extended, the rear legs retracted and th tail curled around his right haunch. The modelling o the amulet is highly accomplished, the main body bein smoothly finished, and with details in relief an highlighted with incisions. The suspension loop formed from an eminence in the middle of the lion back is pierced at a right angle to the bodys lon axis. In ancient Egypt, the lion has always bee associated with a series of regal characteristics power, serenity, stealth and cunning with whic people were eager to be associated. The lon identification of pharaonic leaders with lions i evidenced by their sculptural hybridisation th famous sphinx figures. Our example is representative of a type traditionall cast in faience, and invariably shown in this pos with a suspension loop and integral base. Mos examples are believed to date from Dynasty XXVI (654 625 BC), although some may be later. There is evidenc to suggest that they may have played a more activ role than a good luck charm. One magic spell preserve on a papyrus requires an individual to recite a spel over a lion of glazed composition threaded to re linen, so as to protect against snakebite, althoug it is possible that snakebite may metaphoricall represent any type of accidental misfortune.