Philae is a small island in Lake Nasser, Egypt. It was also the name of the dahabeeyah (river boat) used by Elizabeth Peters’ archaeologist heroine Amelia Peabody on her first trip up the Nile. On her trip, she would surely have encountered an abundance of papyrus plants. The stylized papyrus frond is related to the palmette, lotus, tree of life, and anthemion motifs, all of which are found in ancient and modern art and architecture all over the world.

The open capelet is worked flat from the top down. Instructions are included for a pullover variation worked in the round. The pattern is provided in charted form only.