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Collections: Egyptian, Classical, and Ancient Middle Eastern Art: Arm-Shaped Censer

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Arm-Shaped Censer

Two types of censers were used in ancient Egypt: a simple bowl and an arm-shaped censer like the one here. This latter type, known from the end of the Old Kingdom, can be understood as a hieroglyphic representation of one of the most potent Egyptian rituals, the rite of the presentation of the Eye of Horus. The incense bowl and the falcon terminal together represent the Eye, while the arm is the hieroglyph for "presenting" or "giving." The Egyptians believed that the Eye of Horus possessed the power to heal or protect whoever received it.

Medium: Bronze
Place Made: Egypt
Dates: ca. 712-404 B.C.E.
Period: Late Period
Dimensions: 2 1/4 x 21 7/16 in. (5.7 x 54.5 cm)
Collections: Egyptian, Classical, and Ancient Middle Eastern Art
Museum Location: This item is on view in Egypt Reborn: Art for Eternity, Temples and Tombs, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor
Accession Number: 72.8
Credit Line: Gift of Michael DeBry
Image: Overall, 72.8_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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