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
Objects & Beliefs
Explore what objects can tell us about ancient lives and beliefs, with room for uncertainty.
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.
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…
Objects & Beliefs
Egyptian Wooden Clappers Give Percussion the Shape of Hands
Two carved wooden forms can describe a bodily action while also producing sound. The Met’s Egyptian clappers, object 89.4.1843, take the form of hands with…
Objects & Beliefs
The Mechanical Dog’s Jaw Adds Movement to an Egyptian Animal Figure
The Met’s ivory mechanical dog is posed in a leap, but its movement is not only represented in carving. A lever beneath the chest operates the mouth, adding…
Objects & Beliefs
A baboon water-clock model brings measurement into a religious setting
At first glance, a small faience baboon might seem to belong only to the world of animal imagery. In the Met’s object 17.194.2341, the figure is connected…
Objects & Beliefs
A Faience Double-Flute Player Depicts Music Without Preserving Its Sound
A small figure of a musician provides evidence of a represented performance, but it cannot play the music that once accompanied such imagery. That…
Objects & Beliefs
A Small Cat Figurine Carries Details Beyond Its Silhouette
An Egyptian cat figure can be recognisable before its smaller details are visible. The Met’s record for one metal example draws attention to adornments that…