Arrow or Javelin Point of Neferkhawet

Art Historical Context

Step into the world of ancient Egypt's New Kingdom with the *Arrow or Javelin Point of Neferkhawet*, a finely crafted bronze or copper alloy weapon tip from Dynasty 18's early years (ca. 1504–1447 B.C.). Measuring just 9.3 cm long, this slender artifact—likely from the tomb of its owner, Neferkhawet—exemplifies the precision engineering of Egyptian arms during a golden age of imperial expansion under pharaohs like Thutmose I and Hatshepsut. Forged from a durable metal alloy, the point's tapered form and modest thickness (0.5 cm at its widest) highlight advanced metallurgical techniques honed by Egyptian craftsmen. Bronze, a copper-tin mix, revolutionized weaponry, offering superior strength over earlier stone or wood alternatives and enabling Egypt's armies to conquer vast territories. Such points armed archers and spearmen in battles that shaped the empire. Buried with Neferkhawet, this relic carried profound cultural weight: weapons in tombs ensured the deceased's prowess in the afterlife, symbolizing status and eternal vigilance. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1935, it now graces the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Egyptian Art collection, inviting us to ponder the fierce warriors of antiquity.