- Title
- Bottle
- Date Made
- Middle Kingdom (1878-1749 BCE)
- Medium
- Anhydrite
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 2 in. (5.08 cm)
Height: 7 in. (17.78 cm)
- Accession Number
- 49.14.3
- Collecting Area
- Egyptian Art
- Curatorial Notes
Small stone jars were used to store perfumed oils, ointments, and cosmetics and were often included in the burials of elite Egyptians. This example is carved from a light blue stone identified as anhydrite or anhydrous calcium sulfate. The source of this material in Egypt is unknown, but it was likely a local stone that was mined to extinction because of its popularity. The use of the stone for such vessels became fashionable during the 12th Dynasty, but very few examples were produced during later periods as anhydrite became unavailable, serving as a useful marker for dating.
