Decorative Features

Imagery drawn from animals was used to ornament all the various types of objects made by humans in Egypt and Sudan. Clothing, jewellery, items for personal grooming, and even furniture were often decorated with animal-inspired designs.

 

Wooden furniture leg in the form of the leg and paw of a lion. Thebes, Egypt; New Kingdom (1550-1069bc). E.7161

Ancient Egyptian Chair Leg by Garstang Museum of Archaeology on Sketchfab

 

Wooden furniture leg in the form of a bull’s leg and hoof. Abydos, Egypt; New Kingdom (1550-1069bc). E.7072

Ancient Egyptian Chair Leg by Garstang Museum of Archaeology on Sketchfab

 

Copper alloy (bronze) leg of a piece of furniture. The top is moulded in the form of the head of a duck or goose, the bottom in the form of the hoof of a bull or horse. Meroë, Sudan; Meroitic Period (542bc-350ad). 

Ancient Sudanese Furniture Leg by Garstang Museum of Archaeology on Sketchfab

 

Ceremonial slate knife, the blade in the form of bird wing. Hierakonpolis, Egypt; Early Dynastic Period (3150-2686bc). E.616

Hierakonpolis Knife by Garstang Museum of Archaeology on Sketchfab

 

Stone kohl pot in the shape of a monkey (now headless) holding a vessel, which would have originally contained eye makeup. The vessel has incised decoration depicting the goddess Taweret, who takes the form of a hippo with lion’s feet and a crocodile’s tail. Although there is no provenance for this object, it is very similar in type to one found by John Garstang in grave 178 at the site of Esna, in Upper Egypt. Egypt; New Kingdom (1550-1069bc). E.2812

Monkey Kohl Pot by Garstang Museum of Archaeology on Sketchfab

 

Greywacke palette used for grinding cosmetics, in the shape of a fish with incised gills and fins. Egypt; Naqada II Period (3600-3200bc). E.5307

Fish-Shaped Palette by Garstang Museum of Archaeology on Sketchfab

 

Previous: Raw Materials

Next: Hieroglyphs