precious hedgehog

Gift of Helen Miller Gould, 1910 www.metmuseum.org

This gold hedgie on his snug little box is a piece of jewelry - a pendant.  He is thought to have been made in Egypt sometime in the Late Period to the Ptolemaic Period (4th century BC to about 30 AD).  This piece's page at the Metropolitan Museum of Art notes that hedgehog amulets were often worn by Egyptians, possibly because they thought of its hibernation and waking as a symbol of rebirth.  I find the thought of someone in ancient days occasionally touching their hedgehog jewel, taking comfort in the idea of new beginnings, is a warm and pleasant one.  Perhaps I need a hedgehog pendant.  Of course you'll see that the Met's page says that they also admired the animal's ability to roll into a small ball - what's that about?  The orb of the Sun?  Just Egyptian goodnatured humor?  Who doesn't like cute animals that roll up into tiny balls?