SistrumLate Period to Roman period (712 BCE–2nd century CE)

On view:

Geffen Galleries, floor 1

Title: Sistrum
Place Made: Egypt
Date Made: Late Period to Roman period (712 BCE–2nd century CE)
Medium: Bronze
Dimensions: 8 3/4 × 4 13/16 × 1/2 in. (22.23 × 12.22 × 1.27 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Carl W. Thomas
Accession Number: M.80.203.135
Classification: Tools and Equipment
Collecting Area: Egyptian Art
Curatorial Notes: Sistra were used in ancient Egypt and the wider outside world during the Roman Period as a percussion instrument, a rattle shaken during religious ceremonies to dispel evil and punctuate the observance of mystery cults such as the worship of Isis. Statues of Isis often depict her holding a sistrum. The sound elements, now lost in this example, were disklike pieces of metal threaded on the crossbars of the instrument. A common element of sistra was a recumbent cat with kittens whose head was topped with a crescent and solar disk, shown here at the top of the uppermost arc.

On view:

Geffen Galleries, floor 1

Title: Sistrum
Place Made: Egypt
Date Made: Late Period to Roman period (712 BCE–2nd century CE)
Medium: Bronze
Dimensions: 8 3/4 × 4 13/16 × 1/2 in. (22.23 × 12.22 × 1.27 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Carl W. Thomas
Accession Number: M.80.203.135
Classification: Tools and Equipment
Collecting Area: Egyptian Art
Curatorial Notes: Sistra were used in ancient Egypt and the wider outside world during the Roman Period as a percussion instrument, a rattle shaken during religious ceremonies to dispel evil and punctuate the observance of mystery cults such as the worship of Isis. Statues of Isis often depict her holding a sistrum. The sound elements, now lost in this example, were disklike pieces of metal threaded on the crossbars of the instrument. A common element of sistra was a recumbent cat with kittens whose head was topped with a crescent and solar disk, shown here at the top of the uppermost arc.