Heset Ewer of Ahmose I

Hes-ewers were used for pouring ritual libations. It is not known how it came to be in the tomb of Psusennes I in Tanis on the east bank of the Nile in Lower Egypt. Ahmose fought against the Hyksos, and it is possible that it came from a monument of his reign in the eastern Nile Delta.

This beautiful gold vase with carved stripes on the body reveals the fine taste and skills of the craftsmen of this period. An inscription chiselled on the front informs us that it was dedicated to Ahmose, the first king of the 18th Dynasty (circa 1550 BC): “The perfect god Ahmose just of voice, beloved of Osiris lord of Abydos.”

The tomb was discovered by the Egyptologist Pierre Montet on 16 February 1940; it is considered to be one of the major Egyptians discoveries because of the great importance of the precious goods found in the tomb.

These include a silver sarcophagus, jewelry, cups, jugs, and vases made from precious metals like this one. This marvelous discovery is known as “the Treasures of Tanis.”

The gold and silver objects included some much older items: not just a Ramesses II brazier, but also this beautiful ewer, known as a hes in ancient Egyptian.

Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 85895