Cosmetic Vessel for unguent

This cosmetic vessel would have been used to store scented oils, unguents, or ointments. In ancient Egypt, such vessels were highly prized for their function in both personal hygiene and religious rituals. They often held oils used for perfumes, hair care, and skin care, essential in a society that placed high importance on cleanliness, beauty, and ritual purity.

The servant is shown with a shaved head, supporting a vase on his shoulder. His left arm is bent to hold the base of the vase, while his right arm extends to grip its handle. The vase is adorned with geometric and floral motifs, including a frieze of alternating plants and leaping calves. The servant’s head leans forward under the weight of the vase.

Objects like this statue offer valuable insights into the daily life and artistic expressions of ancient Egypt during the New Kingdom period. The depiction of a servant carrying a vase reflects the importance of cosmetic and ritualistic practices in Egyptian society.

While statues of servants are not rare in Egyptian art, the way this one is crafted and its detailed portrayal give us insight into the role of service and ritual in ancient Egypt.

The 18th Dynasty, which spanned from around 1550 BC to 1295 BC, was a period of great cultural and artistic flourishing, under the rule of pharaohs like Thutmose III, Amenhotep II, Akhenaten, and Tutankhamun. The art of this period tended to show more naturalistic figures compared to earlier periods, though still firmly rooted in stylized Egyptian conventions.

In ancient Egypt, ointments and unguent vases had strong ritual and cosmetic significance. They were used in the daily life of Egyptians, particularly among the elite, and were also part of the burial rituals, suggesting that this statue might have been placed in a tomb as a way to symbolize the continuous care and provisions for the deceased in the afterlife.

New Kingdom, Amarna Period, 18th Dynasty, reign of Akhenaten, ca. 1353-1336 BC. Excavated by Georges Daressy in 1896. From the Tomb of Hatiay, Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, Thebes. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 31382