Egyptian Alabaster Globular Jar
Egyptian Alabaster Globular Jar
This jar, whose typology is attested in Egypt but also largely documented in the Near Eastern world, has a simple, perfectly globular shape. The body is provided with a small neck and a thick lip.
3rd millenium B.C.
D: 9 cm
In stock
Product Description
This jar, whose typology is attested in Egypt but also largely documented in the Near Eastern world, has a simple, perfectly globular shape. The body is provided with a small neck and a thick lip. The interior of the vessel is spherical and follows the outer profile: the capacity of the jar is therefore quite important. There is no painted decoration, but the artist skillfully used the delicate veining of the stone to “adorn” his work in a very natural way.
This jar would have stored an ointment or a semi-liquid product that served as a cosmetic for protection of the skin or for funerary rituals. The lid, probably made of clay or of a perishable material, could be attached under the lip.
Stone was largely used in ancient times for the manufacture of vessels of various shapes and sizes: stone vases, considered as luxury goods, were often found in the tombs of high-ranking individuals and in the treasures of the sanctuaries. The ancient iconography of Egyptian funerary paintings seems to indicate that the stone carvers started by stabilizing the vase in a hole in the ground or on a worktable. Then they sculpted and polished the exterior before hollowing out the interior with a drill.
