Globular jar
Unknown Artist
ca. 2750–2649 B.C.
Medium
Magnesite
Dimensions
H. 8.1 cm (3 3/16 in.); Diam. 12. cm (4 3/4 in.)
Classification
Jar, globular
Period
Early Dynastic Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1912
Accession Number
12.181.151
Art Historical Context
This delicate globular jar, crafted from magnesite around 2750–2649 B.C. during Egypt's Early Dynastic Period (Dynasty 2, half), exemplifies the exquisite stoneworking skills of ancient Egyptian artisans. Standing just 8.1 cm tall with a diameter of 12 cm, its smooth, rounded form—wider at the middle and tapering to a narrow neck—suggests it was designed for storing precious oils, perfumes, or, items essential to elite daily life and funerary rituals. In the formative years of pharaonic Egypt, when the first kings consolidated power and monumental architecture like the Step Pyramid emerged, s...