An Egyptian Talisman from Susa in Iran National Museum Collection

French excavations at Susa in 1930 discovered an Egyptian talisman that is now on display in the Achaemenid gallery of the Iran National Museum. This stone talisman, carved from a black stone is 91 mm in height, and 94 mm in width. It bears carved and relief images as well as a number of lines in Egyptian hieroglyphs. A comparison with similar items, especially the Metternich Stelae in the Mtropolitan Museum of Art in New York indicates this is a cippus of Horus, a special Egyptian talisman made for those who embark on large journeys in need of protection from hazards of travel and noxious beasts. After introducing the object, it has been argued that it has presumably arrived at Susa by an Egyptian craftsman who was employed to work on the Achaemenid palatial constructions at the site.