Ostracon are various shards of limestone and/or pottery, which were used by Ancient Egyptian artisans and scribes as a tablet. The term osatracon however, is not just used for the study of Egyptology, but used by historians studying the geographical regions of various other ancient cultures too. These fragmentary pieces have provided vast amounts of...
This ostracon from Deir el-Medina shows two men performing the traditional stick-fighting martial art known as Tahtib, which is still practised and performed in Egypt to this very day. The oldest traces of tahtib were found on engravings from the archaeological site of Abusir, an extensive necropolis of the Old Kingdom period, located in the...
This limestone ostracon from the artisans village of Deir el-Medina (Egyptian: Set Ma’at = “The Place of Truth“), shows a beautifully intricate line drawing of the dwarf god Bes. The faint red pigmented lines, now orange, showcase the talent of the artists living within the worker’s village of Deir el-Medina. Likely a trial piece to...
This ostracon depicting a lively scene of a Ramesside pharaoh hunting wild animals with a spear, was given to the Earl of Carnarvon during a division of finds, after excavations conducted by Howard Carter in 1920. It was discovered within the Valley of the Kings, among debris near the entrance of what would be the...
This limestone ostracon was discovered in the famous Workers Village of Deir el-Medina. Dating from approximately, 1292–1076 B.C., this piece was created within the 19th or 20th Dynasty. Deir el-Medina (Set Ma’at) was a workman’s village, which was state commissioned and owned. The artisans and architects who would design and build the tombs of the...
The ostracon of Seti I seen below is quite a rarity to behold, as a stubbled faced king is a rather peculiar sight in Ancient Egyptian art. Due to the unusualness of the king being depicted with such natural beard growth rather than the famous Egyptian false beard, it is safe to presume this was...
This ostracon is a dynamic depiction of two fighting bulls. The powerful motion is portrayed through their bodies, with the back legs of the charging bull pushing forward and head lowered to topple the other bull with its horns. Note the artist’s skillful use of color and pattering to add detail. Ostraca (plural for ostracon)...
An ostracon showing a topless dancer in an acrobatic position with elaborate hairstyle and hoop earrings in gymnastic backbend. This magnificently drawn sketch of a lady doing a back bend defies many of the conventions of Egyptian art. Performances were held at festivals, banquets, in the temple, and at funerals, but could take place anywhere....
This is a pottery ostracon, measuring 14.4×10.3 cm with an ink sketch showing the prow of the sacred boat of the god Amun-Re. It is decorated with a ram’s head and a royal cobra (uraeus). The line of hieroglyphs over the head of the ram reads, “Amun-Re, the Light of Day.” And the column of...
In this ostracon, a cat funerary priest approaches a mouse with offerings. The mouse wears a lotus flower on its head, sits on a chair, sniffs a flower, and holds out a cup to be filled. The cat, standing on his hind legs, fans the mouse and offers a roasted duck and a piece of...
