Circular Cosmetic Container with Lid
ca. 1539–1292 B.C.E.
1 of 3
Object Label
Cosmetic Dishes
Like spoons, cosmetic dishes may have been used for mixing ointments in the home, or for ritual purposes in a temple, or both.
Many of the dishes have images that seem to refer to beliefs about life after death. Both the lotus and the fish, for example, were associated with rebirth. Other subjects, such as the oryx (a type of antelope), may allude to the desire to maintain universal order. Because the oryx lived in the mysterious desert—beyond the ordered realm of Egyptian civilization—a bound oryx represented victory over chaos.
Like spoons, cosmetic dishes may have been used for mixing ointments in the home, or for ritual purposes in a temple, or both.
Many of the dishes have images that seem to refer to beliefs about life after death. Both the lotus and the fish, for example, were associated with rebirth. Other subjects, such as the oryx (a type of antelope), may allude to the desire to maintain universal order. Because the oryx lived in the mysterious desert—beyond the ordered realm of Egyptian civilization—a bound oryx represented victory over chaos.
Caption
Circular Cosmetic Container with Lid, ca. 1539–1292 B.C.E.. Elephant ivory, wood, pigment, frit (?), and resin (?), 1 5/8 × 3 1/2 in. (4.1 × 8.9 cm) mount: 12 × 3 1/4 × 2 1/2 in. (30.5 × 8.3 × 6.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.597Ea-b. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Title
Circular Cosmetic Container with Lid
Date
ca. 1539–1292 B.C.E.
Dynasty
Dynasty 18
Period
New Kingdom
Geography
Reportedly from: Saqqara, Egypt
Medium
Elephant ivory, wood, pigment, frit (?), and resin (?)
Classification
Dimensions
1 5/8 × 3 1/2 in. (4.1 × 8.9 cm) mount: 12 × 3 1/4 × 2 1/2 in. (30.5 × 8.3 × 6.4 cm)
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
37.597Ea-b
Frequent Art Questions
Damage or a cool sunburst design?
It's a cool lotus design! The lotus, like other flowers and marsh plants, had connotations of birth and rebirth and many images on cosmetic dishes contain symbols that refer to the afterlife.Pretty!I read in the label that the ancient Egyptians believed that cosmetics, combs, jewelry were included for sexual allure since rebirth require conception. But we use cosmetics, combs and jewelry on deceased people now, yet it’s not for sex. How do we know that sexual allure is the reason for the jewelry and cosmetics?
Great question! It has to do with the styling and what we know about the ancient Egyptians conceptions of the afterlife.Today, much of the use of cosmetics on the dead is, as I'm sure you know, meant to make them look more lifelike and like themselves, to provide a sense of comfort to loved ones.I don't believe much make-up was actually applied to the physical body in ancient Egypt, but instead that they would be entombed with the kind of cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry, and wigs that one might wear to a party.Oh, I see. The cosmetics were included within the tomb, sort of like, “You’re gonna need these where you’re going.”Exactly! You can see in the Stela of Thenet, for example, Thenet, on the right, wears a translucent dress and an object on her head known as a fragrant cone which would melt into her hair as perfume.Interesting!
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