Corrugated Hoops
ca. 1539–1292 B.C.E.
1 of 2
Object Label
Earrings
Earrings were a late arrival in Egypt.
They first appeared in the Middle Kingdom—probably introduced from Nubia or western Asia—but did not become popular until early in the Eighteenth Dynasty. By that time, in the truly cosmopolitan civilization of the New Kingdom, men, women, and children of high social standing all wore earrings. Perhaps because they originated in a foreign culture, earrings seem to have had no protective function for the Egyptians, unlike other jewelry. The principal forms of earrings included hoops, “boats,” plugs, and studs. All four types were attached to the ear through a hole piercing the lobe.
Earrings were a late arrival in Egypt.
They first appeared in the Middle Kingdom—probably introduced from Nubia or western Asia—but did not become popular until early in the Eighteenth Dynasty. By that time, in the truly cosmopolitan civilization of the New Kingdom, men, women, and children of high social standing all wore earrings. Perhaps because they originated in a foreign culture, earrings seem to have had no protective function for the Egyptians, unlike other jewelry. The principal forms of earrings included hoops, “boats,” plugs, and studs. All four types were attached to the ear through a hole piercing the lobe.
Caption
Corrugated Hoops, ca. 1539–1292 B.C.E.. Gold, 72.123a: 1 5/8 x 1/2 x 1 7/16 in. (4.1 x 1.3 x 3.7 cm) 72.123b: 1 5/8 x 9/16 x 1 5/8 in. (4.1 x 1.4 x 4.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 72.123a-b. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Title
Corrugated Hoops
Date
ca. 1539–1292 B.C.E.
Dynasty
Dynasty 18
Period
New Kingdom
Geography
Place made: Egypt
Medium
Gold
Classification
Dimensions
72.123a: 1 5/8 x 1/2 x 1 7/16 in. (4.1 x 1.3 x 3.7 cm) 72.123b: 1 5/8 x 9/16 x 1 5/8 in. (4.1 x 1.4 x 4.1 cm)
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
72.123a-b
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