Set of Magical Bricks from the Tomb of the Priestess Henutmehyt

The four magic bricks guarded the four directions.The shabty guarded North, the djed amulet West, a reed torch South, and a figure of Anubis East.
The bricks were placed inside the tomb towards each cardinal point and created a protectice perimeter for the tomb.

The four magical bricks shown here are dated to ca.1.250 BC and derive from Thebes in Egypt.

Set of Magical Bricks from the Tomb of the Priestess Henutmehyt. British Museum, London, EA41545
Four magical bricks, ca. 1250 BC, Egypt (Thebes). British Museum, London, EA41545 © The Trustees of the British Museum.

Spell 151 of the Book of the Dead contains directions for making unbaked magical bricks with amulets and for sealing them in niches. Anubis here protects the dead against any aggressor.

In royal tombs such bricks were inscribed in Hieroglyphs, while those from non-royal burials luse Hieratic.

BM-EA41545_Bricks-Anubis
One of four magical bricks, ca. 1250 BC, Egypt (Thebes?), H: 2.50 cm, L: 14.50 cm, W: 9.20 cm. British Museum, London, EA41545 © The Trustees of the British Museum