Uraeus of Senusret II
This uraeus was discovered by Flinders Petrie in 1920 during his excavations around the Pyramid of Senusret II at Lahun. The rearing cobra, known as a uraeus, was a symbol of royalty, worn at the forehead.
The golden uraeus is of solid gold, 6.7 cm (2.6 in), black eyes of granite, a snake head of deep ultramarine lapis lazuli, the flared cobra hood of dark carnelian inlays, and inlays of amazonite. For mounting on the king’s crown, two loops in the rear-supporting tail of the cobra provide the attachment points.
Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, reign of Senusret II, ca. 1897-1878. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 46694