Objects & Beliefs
An Egyptian Cartouche Frames a Name Rather Than an Entire Sentence
Recognise a cartouche as a frame associated with a royal name, then use a museum record before attempting to identify its signs.
Ancient objects, open questions
Notes from the collection
Materials & Making
A Mummy Portrait Records a Painted Face on a Separate Support
Read an Egyptian mummy portrait through its painted support, museum record and surviving relationship to the burial assemblage.
Objects & Beliefs
Why Natron Belongs in the Story of Egyptian Mummification
Explore natron through a small object from Tutankhamun’s embalming cache, separating its material role from the wider interpretation of a burial assemblage.
Reading the Past
Ancient Figures on a Modern Base Need Two Descriptions
An arrangement in a museum can combine ancient components with a later display structure. The Met’s model butcher shop and brewery makes that distinction…
Reading the Past
William the Hippo Has an Ancient Body and a Modern Nickname
The familiar name William belongs to the modern reception of an Egyptian object, not to a surviving ancient label. Keeping those histories separate makes…
Objects & Beliefs
Meketre’s Bakery Model Organises Food Production into Rooms
The miniature workers in Meketre’s bakery and brewery model become easier to follow when you look at the divisions of the building before counting…
Materials & Making
Sennedjem’s Painted Box Imitates Materials It Was Not Made From
A patterned surface can suggest precious inlay while being made by a different process. The cosmetic box from Sennedjem’s tomb offers a clear reason to read…
Materials & Making
An Egyptian Swivel-Top Box Makes Its Closing Mechanism Part of the Story
A small container can reward attention to movement as much as decoration. The Met’s ivory cosmetic box 16.10.425 has a lid designed to swivel around a peg…