Signet Ring Bearing Cartouche of Tutankhamun
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
Rings
The earliest Egyptian rings were purely decorative, but later rings came to carry significance.
By the Eighteenth Dynasty of the New Kingdom, they were frequently inscribed with the name of a god, a king, or the owner. The most popular type was made of faience and bore the name of the reigning monarch. Archaeologists have discovered thousands of these simple, mold-made rings; they were probably distributed as mementos at religious or state celebrations. Other rings feature protective symbols, including the wedjat-eye. Wealthy members of Eighteenth Dynasty society often wore rings made of inlaid glass or semiprecious stones.
MEDIUM
Faience
DATES
ca. 1329–1322 B.C.E.
DYNASTY
Dynasty 18
PERIOD
New Kingdom
DIMENSIONS
13/16 × 1/2 × 3/4 in. (2 × 1.2 × 1.9 cm)
mount: 7/8 × 1/2 × 1 1/2 in. (2.2 × 1.3 × 3.8 cm)
(show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER
37.889E
CREDIT LINE
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
PROVENANCE
Thebes, Egypt, archaeological provenance not yet documented; by 1852, acquired in Egypt by Henry Abbott; 1859, purchased from Henry Abbott by the New-York Historical Society, New York, NY; 1937, loaned by the New-York Historical Society to the Brooklyn Museum; September 1948, purchased from the New-York Historical Society by the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Bright blue glazed faience signet ring inscribed for Tutankhamun. The bezel is oval-shaped and made separately in an open mold. The glaze does not cover a large part of the center of the underside of the bezel.
Condition: Dark incrustation – especially in the hieroglyphs; otherwise good.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Signet Ring Bearing Cartouche of Tutankhamun, ca. 1329–1322 B.C.E. Faience, 13/16 × 1/2 × 3/4 in. (2 × 1.2 × 1.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.889E. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.37.889E_erg456.jpg)
IMAGE
overall,
CUR.37.889E_erg456.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 9/6/2007
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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Tell me more.
Such a beautiful ring! As you may have read, the inscription is the name of the famous king Tutankhamun.
A ring like this one could have belonged to just about anyone, such mementos were a popular way to honor the reigning king. Accordingly, they help archaeologists to date the soil layers they might be found in to the reign of a particular king.
Actually, I couldn't find it's description. Thank you!