Amulets were personal adornments worn by the living and placed on mummy wrappings to provide protection and aid on the journey from death to the afterlife. The color, shape, and other qualities of the materials were believed to endow the amulet and its wearer with special powers and protections. This amulet represents two fingers, with incised details indicating creases at the knuckles and nails. This type of amulet was placed on a mummy near the incision where the organs were removed for embalming and may have represented the fingers of Anubis, the god of embalming. It is possible that this type of amulet was also intended to "seal" the wound, preventing harmful forces from entering the body.

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Two-finger amulets were often made of hard, black stone like obsidian, basalt, or steatite. The black color of these stones was associated with the underworld. Hard stones were selected for durability, as these amulets were meant to retain their power for eternity.

Sources:

"Obsidian Amulet in the Shape of Two Fingers." The British Museum, catalogue entry for object EA 59500

Andrews, Carol. Amulets of Ancient Egypt. 1994 (British Museum Press). University of Texas Press, 1998.

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