Pomegranate Vase of Tutankhamun

Delicate as a blossom and radiant as moonlight, this exquisite vase takes the form of a pomegranate, its rounded body swelling with natural grace. It once held perfumed oils or unguents; sweet offerings for eternity, and was discovered among the treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb. The fruit itself, newly introduced to Egypt during the 18th Dynasty, symbolised fertility, regeneration, and divine sweetness.

The vessel is fashioned from silver or electrum. Silver (hedj-hedj) was exceedingly rare in Egypt, more precious than gold, for it had to be imported from distant lands such as Anatolia or the Aegean. Electrum, a natural alloy of gold and silver, gleams with a softer, paler radiance; the Egyptians called it “white gold” (nbw-hedj), a substance that fused the brilliance of the sun with the purity of the moon.

Whether wrought of pure silver or sun-kissed electrum, this little pomegranate embodies both celestial and earthly renewal: the moon’s metal cradling the fruit of life. In its quiet beauty, it unites the twin promises of Egyptian belief; abundance on earth and eternity beyond the horizon.

Silver or Electrum: What’s the Difference?

Silver (hedj-hedj in Ancient Egyptian) is a pure precious metal; soft, cool-toned, and associated with the moon, purity, and divine flesh. It was exceptionally rare in Egypt, as it had to be imported from distant lands such as Anatolia or the Aegean, making it often more valuable than gold.

Electrum, by contrast, is a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, sometimes deliberately refined by artisans. Its colour ranges from pale yellow to soft greenish-white depending on the proportions: more gold gives a warm tone, more silver a cooler hue. The Egyptians called it “white gold” (nbw-hedj), and they prized it for its luminous sheen; thought to echo the brilliance of the sun at dawn.

So when scholars describe Tutankhamun’s pomegranate vase as being of “silver or electrum,” it means the metal’s composition hasn’t been definitively analysed. The piece appears silvery-white, but its subtle warmth may indicate a natural gold–silver alloy rather than pure silver.

Either way, both metals carried profound meaning: silver for the moon and eternity, gold for the sun and divine radiance. In the Amarna and post-Amarna imagination, this silvery vessel (whether pure or mixed) embodied celestial perfection, bridging day and night, sun and moon, life and afterlife.

Pomegranate

The pomegranate (rhmn in ancient Egyptian) was not native to Egypt but was introduced from the Near East, likely during the early 18th Dynasty, around the reign of Thutmose III. By the time of Amenhotep III and Tutankhamun, it had become a cherished fruit of both the palace and the temple; valued for its vibrant colour, sweet-tart flavour, and symbolic associations with fertility, regeneration, and eternal life.

Egyptians admired the pomegranate for its abundance of seeds (miniature symbols of renewal and multiplicity) and its ability to regenerate even in the heat of summer. Artists and craftsmen captured its distinctive form in gold, faience, and silver vessels, while real pomegranates were placed among offerings in tombs, ensuring the deceased would partake in the fruit of rebirth.

The fruit’s deep red hue linked it with blood and vitality, while its crowned calyx evoked royal perfection. In a civilisation that found divinity in natural cycles, the pomegranate became a small but potent emblem of life eternal, bridging Egypt’s earthly gardens and the orchards of the afterlife.

Summary:

Pomegranate Vase of Tutankhamun, made of Silver or electrum 

New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reign of Tutankhamun, c. 1332–1323 B.C.


From the Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Valley of the Kings, West Thebes