This exquisite double signet ring, dating from the New Kingdom period (c. 1550–1069 B.C.), showcases the refined artistry and symbolic richness characteristic of the era. Crafted from gold, the ring features a pair of cartouches, but instead of a name within the “shen-ring” oval cartouche, are two figures. The first figure is that of a...
The limestone ostracon (Musée du Louvre. E 14337) from Deir el-Medina, depicting a woman presenting a cup and vase before a figure holding a smoking bowl, likely represents a domestic or ritual offering scene. The woman’s pleated dress, perfume cone, and lotus flower suggest she is engaged in a ceremonial act, perhaps making an offering...
Amenhotep III, often hailed as the Dazzling Sun King, was a monarch whose reign illuminated Egypt with an unparalleled splendour of construction and artistry. His legacy cast a long shadow, inspiring later pharaohs such as Ramesses the Great to emulate his grandeur. Colossal statues bearing his likeness once dominated the Egyptian horizon, while minute treasures...
This exquisite faience bowl (Met Museum. 26.7.905) stands as one of the more generous examples of its kind, often charmingly referred to as the “marsh bowl” or “nun-bowl”. Its outer surface is adorned with a radiant display of Egyptian blue lotus petals and sepals, whose natural purple speckles have been rendered as delicate painted dashes....
This exquisite composite statue element, dating to the early 18th Dynasty (c.1550–1425 B.C.), represents the iconic khepresh or blue crown of war, fashioned from siliceous earthenware and adorned with a copper alloy uraeus. Though the once-vivid blue of this piece has faded into a swampy green reminiscent of marsh waters, rather than the pure, life-giving...
This finely crafted statuette, carved from persea wood (Mimusops cf. laurifolia) and dating to the late 18th Dynasty (c. 1327–1295 B.C.), depicts a man in a composed striding pose. With one foot foward, he strides forth into eternity. Despite damaged, his refined image and the craftsmanship that went into creating this mini masterpiece is still...
Ducks, in the Egyptian imagination, fluttered not only through the marshes of the Nile but also through the very fabric of their art, architecture, and personal possessions. In Tutankhamun’s tomb, exquisite wooden duck toys, beautifully painted to mimic the vibrant plumage of real ducks, were discovered nestled among his treasures. These toys, perhaps crafted for...
A masterpiece of both delicate craftsmanship and regal symbolism, this ring, fashioned from gold in hollow bas-relief, boasts an intricate rectangular bezel framed by added spirals and stops, with a swollen, almost sculptural band that suggests opulence and command. Upon its surface, hieroglyphs elegantly proclaim Horemheb’s coronation name, accompanied by depictions of a scorpion, crocodile,...
The game of Senet (Ancient Egyptian: “znt”, meaning ‘passing’ and in Coptic: ⲥⲓⲛⲉ/sinə, meaning “passing, afternoon”), is a board game consisting of 10 or more pawns on a 30 square playing board.whose origins stretch back to the earliest dynasties of Ancient Egypt, was more than a pastime of the living; it was a symbolic rite...
Khaemhat, also known as Mahu, was a high-ranking official who flourished during the reign of Amenhotep III in the 14th century B.C., a period often celebrated as the apogee of Ancient Egypt’s imperial splendour and artistic refinement. Holding the esteemed title of “Overseer of the Granaries of Upper and Lower Egypt“, Khaemhat occupied a position...
