Magical Figure
Unknown Artist
ca. 1802–1550 B.C.
Medium
Clay (unfired)
Dimensions
H. 5.5 cm (2 3/16 in.); W. 3.6 cm (1 7/16 in.)
Classification
figure, magical, execration, tablet
Period
Late Middle Kingdom–Second Intermediate Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1933
Accession Number
33.1.124
Tags
Art Historical Context
This petite *Magical Figure*, crafted from unfired clay around 1802–1550 B.C. during Egypt's Late Middle Kingdom to Second Intermediate Period (Dynasty 13– Intermediate Period), stands just 5.5 cm tall. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Egyptian Art department (acquired via the Rogers in 1933), this unassuming artifact exemplifies the era's blend of political instability and enduring spiritual beliefs. As Egypt fragmented under weak pharaonic rule and emerging foreign influences like the Hyksos, people turned to personal magic for protection. Hand-modeled without firing, the figure's...