Tell me more.
The broad collar, or wesekh, likely originated with an ancient tradition of making necklaces from flowers. Here we see it reproduced in cartonnage, or plaster, to be placed on a mummy. Flower imagery was important in tombs because it had a connotation of rebirth as flowers die and come back each year.
Tell me more.
This is a sistrum, an ancient rattle like instrument that was popular especially in ceremonies dedication to Hathor who is depicted on the handle,
What’s the significance of the arm shaped censer?
It was a ritual object, burning incense would have been placed in the box-like form. It would have been used in a temple setting. The falcon head to the left could represent several deities, it is most likely is meant to be Horus.
Tell me more.
This is made of a really interesting, man-made material called faience. It was often used as an affordable imitation of precious stones like lapis lazuli and turquoise. The shape of the vessel is the same as the hieroglyph "hes" suggesting that it was for liquid offerings.
Tell me more.
All of the objects in this case speak to the proliferation of fine decorative objects produced during the reign of Amunhotep III. Kohl is a cosmetic used for lining eyes in ancient Egypt and today. A tube like this would have come with an applicator stick.
Is there any significance to the six dots at the bottom of the tile?
This tile would have been set into a wall and is only part of a larger decorative scheme. I believe those dots represent the beginning of a design that continued on the next tile.
Cool thanks!
What are some of the interpretations of the this piece? I see it as a visual of a woman's or slave's struggle.
That's interesting! The label says that it depicts a servant woman carrying a small dog and maybe that the dog is the honored pet of her employer.
Do you know if Stella arrived by going to Ellis Island?
Great question- yes, he did come through Ellis Island!
Awesome! My Nonna did too!
When he arrived in NYC, he Anglicized his name; thus Giuseppe Michele Stella became Joseph Stella.
Wow!
How did people find this?
That's a good question! The palace of Asurnasirpal II was rediscovered in 1840 by Austen Henry Layard, an English Diplomat. He discovered the site accidentally while traveling the Tigris river, he first noticed a mound near the riverbank and discovered it to be rich in antiquities. He returned five years later with the British Museum and local scholars including Hormuzd Rassam to excavate to site.
Who is this?
Since there is no inscription we can’t be sure, but the headdress and style of his face tell us that he was a king during the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The Ptolemaic Dynasty was founded by a man named Ptolemy who had been one of Alexander the Great’s highest ranking generals. The following 15 kings were all named Ptolemy; the dynasty ended the famous Cleopatra VII.
Egyptian Art during the Ptolemaic Dynasty continued to used many familiar symbols like this nemes headdress and uraeus cobra, but shows a clear stylistic influence from Greek art.
