Mirror of Hatnefer

A glimmer from the lifetime of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, this elegant mirror is fashioned from a copper alloy, cast in two neat pieces. The gleaming disk possesses a sturdy little tang that slots snugly into the handle, secured by a modest bronze peg; simple engineering with a decidedly regal flair. The handle itself bears the emblem of Hathor, goddess of beauty, music, and the gentle sway of love; a fitting adornment for an object meant to capture one’s own radiance.

This particular mirror was found tucked at the bottom of a coffin in the Tomb of Hatnefer (TT 71), where it had slumbered alongside a charming assemblage of personal treasures: a faience bowl and two dishes, a wooden cosmetic box, another mirror for good measure, and five small amulets, perhaps to keep both the deceased and mirror safe through eternity.

Unearthed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Egyptian Expedition of 1935–1936, it joined the Museum’s collection the following year as part of the division of finds.

Mirror with handle depicting Hathor carrying her infant son Horus

In Ancient Egypt, mirrors were not made of glass at all but of highly polished bronze. Gleaming, yes, but softly blurred, shimmering rather than sharp. When an Egyptian held up a mirror, they didn’t see every pore or stray lash. They saw a warm, golden reflection, a gentle suggestion of themselves.

Mirror Case belonging to Tutankhamun, in the Shape of an Ankh

And yet, these were the same people who mastered kohl, invented scented oils, set wigs like sculptors, and crafted hairstyles that would make modern salons weep with envy. All achieved without the brutally honest clarity of modern glass.

Copper Alloy or Bronze?

Bronze is actually just one member of a much larger family of copper alloys. A “copper alloy” simply means any metal made primarily from copper mixed with other elements, whereas bronze refers specifically to copper combined with tin (sometimes with a dash of lead or arsenic).

In Ancient Egyptian archaeology, not all metal objects are true bronzes, as many early pieces were fashioned from arsenical copper rather than copper–tin bronze. This is why museums often use the broader term “copper alloy”: it avoids committing to a precise recipe when the metal’s composition hasn’t been fully analysed or contains only minimal tin.

In short, all bronze is a copper alloy, but not every copper alloy is bronze.

Summary:

Mirror of Hatnefer, with Hathoric Handle

New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, c. 1492–1473 B.C.

From the coffin of Hatnefer, within the Tomb of Hatnefer (TT 71), Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, Thebes

Met Museum. 36.3.13