Red Bowl with Feet

This red 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 bowl with feet 𓂋𓂧𓂾𓏪 amuses me so much! I think it’s adorable!!

During the Predynastic Period (c. 3700–3450 B.C.E.) , ancient Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 potters made many different types of stone and clay vessels that had various purposes, however, this bowl with feet is definitely one of the more unique ones! One interesting thing about the bowl is that it is tipped forward almost like it’s ready to pour water 𓈗 out of it! I wonder if this specific design has anything to do with its purpose?!

Egyptologists do not know the context of this bowl as there is no specific writings 𓏟𓏛𓏥 that mention its purpose. However, Egyptologists speculate that it could have been used as an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪 placed above a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐, or placed at a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 of a deity 𓊹.

What I like about this bowl is that it looks like this hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃: 𓏎. This specific hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 of a bowl with feet 𓏎 means “to bring” and is a phonogram for the sound “jnj.”

It also reminds me of 𓃂, which is the ideogram for “clean” or “pure.” Based on the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, and the fact that the bowl is tipped forward as if it’s pouring water 𓈗, could this little bowl have been part of some religious purification ritual?! The word for purification is is even “ 𓋴𓃂𓈗.”

There are other hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 that are everyday objects with feet 𓂋𓂧𓂾𓏪 attached, such as this knife with feet 𓌬, the door bolt with feet 𓊄 (ideogram for “go away”), beaded collar with feet 𓋟, and the depression with feet 𓈝 (frequently used as “go”). The ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 seemed to have liked this design/symbolism!