Jar with Was-Scepters and Ankhs
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Object Label
The most innovative pottery of the Eighteenth Dynasty—so-called bluepainted ware—began under Thutmose III.
The pastel pigment was made from groundup blue frit, a mixture of cobalt and alum. Initially, potters relied on blue paint to accentuate small details, such as the grape cluster hanging from a vine on the wine jar in this case. Over time, though, artists began to use blue paint for more complex designs and figures.
Caption
Jar with Was-Scepters and Ankhs, ca. 1426–1390 B.C.E.. Clay, pigment, 17 5/16 x 13 in. (44 x 33 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, 16.140. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Title
Jar with Was-Scepters and Ankhs
Date
ca. 1426–1390 B.C.E.
Dynasty
Dynasty 18
Period
New Kingdom
Geography
Reportedly from: Samayna, Egypt
Medium
Clay, pigment
Classification
Dimensions
17 5/16 x 13 in. (44 x 33 cm)
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
Accession Number
16.140
Frequent Art Questions
How would this have been stored so it didn't tip over?
These vessels were placed either in holes in the mud floor of a house or in pot stands of clay or wood. Occasionally representations of these vessels show them simply leaning against a convenient wall.How did these vessels with pointed bottoms stay upright in ancient Egypt?
We get that question often. Vessels like this one may have stood in specially designed racks with openings to hold those pointed bottoms. They also may have been placed in holes dug into earth floors, or simply have been leaned against walls.You'll notice the color blue on many objects in this gallery. For the ancient Egyptians, blue symbolized water, necessary for all forms of life, and especially crucial in a desert climate!Was this used?
In general, elaborately decorated vessels like these may have been reserved for use on festive occasions or were maybe even ornamental. The blue painted decoration on that vase was probably invented during the reign of Thutmose III. The pigment was made of ground up blue frit, a mixture cobalt and alum.The fact that this vessel is completely intact strongly suggests that it was found in a tomb or burial, we're not sure if was used before it was buried.
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