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Scribe’s Palette and Reed Pens

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

MEDIUM Wood (Sycomore Fig, Ficus sycomorus), pigment
  • Reportedly From: Elephantine Island, Egypt
  • DATES ca. 525-343 B.C.E.
    DYNASTY Dynasty 27 to Dynasty 30
    PERIOD Late Period
    DIMENSIONS Palette: 1 3/8 × 11/16 × 4 15/16 in. (3.5 × 1.8 × 12.6 cm) Pens: 1/8 × 4 1/2 in. (0.3 × 11.5 cm)  (show scale)
    ACCESSION NUMBER 16.99a-d
    CREDIT LINE Gift of Evangeline Wilbour Blashfield, Theodora Wilbour, and Victor Wilbour honoring the wishes of their mother, Charlotte Beebe Wilbour, as a memorial to their father, Charles Edwin Wilbour
    PROVENANCE Elephantine, Egypt; February 12, 1893, purchased in Aswan, Egypt from an unidentified vendor by Charles Edwin Wilbour; 1896, inherited from Charles Edwin Wilbour by Charlotte Beebe Wilbour; 1914, inherited from Charlotte Beebe Wilbour by Evangeline Wilbour Blashfield, Theodora Wilbour, and Victor Wilbour; 1916, gift of Evangeline Wilbour Blashfield, Theodora Wilbour, and Victor Wilbour to the Brooklyn Museum.
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    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Small wooden scribe's palette inscribed in Aramaic, "Palette of Haya"(?). Two depressions for paint and two pens inside of case. Separate sliding cover. Condition: Paint depressions have considerable deposit. Edges slightly chipped.
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Scribe’s Palette and Reed Pens, ca. 525-343 B.C.E. Wood (Sycomore Fig, Ficus sycomorus), pigment, Palette: 1 3/8 × 11/16 × 4 15/16 in. (3.5 × 1.8 × 12.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Evangeline Wilbour Blashfield, Theodora Wilbour, and Victor Wilbour honoring the wishes of their mother, Charlotte Beebe Wilbour, as a memorial to their father, Charles Edwin Wilbour, 16.99a-d. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 16.99a-d_PS9.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 16.99a-d_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2014
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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