Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A gorgeous bowl of a broad, conical form that is hand-carved from translucent yellow-white alabaster with opaque white bands that illuminate when placed next to a light source. The bowl is defined by a slightly rounded but stable base, thick walls that taper to form the rounded rim, and a deep basin. Both the interior and exterior surfaces boast incredibly smooth surface textures. Size: 5.7" W x 4.4" H (14.5 cm x 11.2 cm)
Alabaster was quarried along the length of the Nile, from Giza to just south of Luxor. Offering bowls like these were used in temples and placed in the tombs of people at all class levels. For example, Auguste Mariette, the famous French Egyptologist of the 19th century, found a cemetery for the poor in Memphis where the dead had been buried without wrappings only three feet below the ground; however, each had a small alabaster bowl and some animal bones, as they had been given food and drink for the afterlife. Meanwhile, kings were buried with many vessels, often of the highest quality. These vessels were necessary to provide for the dead during their time in the underworld.
Provenance: ex-private Khan family collection, New Jersey, USA, acquired in the 1980s
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#153485
Condition
Repaired from multiple large pieces, with restoration in a few areas of loss, and resurfacing with light adhesive residue along new material and break lines. Minor abrasions and nicks to base, walls, and rim. Incredibly smooth surface texture throughout.