Vessel
Archaic Period–Old Kingdom, Dynasty 1–3 (about 3050–2630 BCE)
Medium
Alabaster
Dimensions
11.4 × 6.3 × 6.3 cm (4 1/2 × 2 1/2 × 1 1/2 in.)
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
130108
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Egyptian alabaster is a form of limestone (calcite) that is found in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. It was favored for cosmetic and ritual offering fishes because of its beautiful color and translucent quality.
About the Artist
Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian artists, a collective of highly skilled artisans spanning over three millennia from the Predynastic period (c. 6000–3150 BC) to the Roman era (30 BC–4th century AD), produced some of humanity's most enduring masterpieces. These anonymous craftsmen, often organized in state-sponsored workshops, lived in dedicated communities like Deir el-Medina near Luxor during the New Kingdom (c....