Signet ring
Unknown Artist
ca. 1070–712 B.C.
Medium
Blue faience
Dimensions
bezel: L. 2 cm (13/16 in.); Diam. 2.8 cm (1 1/8 in.)
Classification
Ring, signet
Period
Third Intermediate Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1926
Accession Number
26.7.826
Art Historical Context
Step into ancient Egypt with this striking blue faience signet ring, crafted around 1070–712 B.C. during the Third Intermediate Period (Dynasties –24). Measuring a compact bezel of 2 cm long and 2.8 cm in diameter, this intimate jewel was designed for practical elegance—its flat, engraved surface perfect for impressing a personal seal into clay or wax, authenticating documents, goods, or royal decrees. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Egyptian Art department, it was acquired through the Edward S. Harkness Gift in 1926. Faience, a signature Egyptian material made from crushed qua...