Silver brooch in the shape of “Hercules’ knot”, reproducing part of a gold bracelet from Egypt (3rd century AD). “Hercules’ knot”, widely used in jewellery in Egypt from the second millennium until the time of the Ptolemy dynasty, might have been named after the way Hercules wore a lion-skin knotted over his chest. The widespread use of this motif was probably due to the popular belief that the knot had protective and curative properties.