Ancient Egypt, Early Dynastic Period, 1st to 2nd Dynasty, ca. 3100 to 2686 BCE. A beautiful bowl, skillfully hand-carved from stone to display a round yet stable base and thick walls that taper to a slender, circular rim above a shallow basin. The elegant vessel boasts a gorgeous natural decoration from the banding and inclusions of the stone, displaying cream-hued striations against a coral pink surface. Smooth walls and vibrant colors grant this example an impressive presentation! Size: 2.3" Diameter x 0.9" H (5.8 cm x 2.3 cm)

This stone dish was perhaps made for offering and would have been placed into a tomb - indeed, Egyptians had been placing stone vessels in elite tombs from as early as the Naqada I culture (ca. 4400 to 3000 BCE). Stone vessels like this one were created to contain valuable items - food, beverages, unguents, perfumes - and the vessels themselves were similarly valuable, ornamental and luxury objects. The extraction of stone from mines, the transportation of it from mines to workshops, and the craftsmanship required to make such beautiful items caused vessels like this one to be quite expensive, and only the most elite individuals in society could afford them. As a result, most have been found in the Early Dynastic royal necropolis of Abydos and in cemeteries in Memphis.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#141828

Loss to rim and part of wall on one side with stable hairline fissure. Expected nicks, chips, and abrasions throughout, all commensurate with age. Scratches to interior from use. Otherwise, excellent with smooth surfaces.