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Egyptian Artifacts

Small Animal Statues

I love this display at the MET because not only do I love tiny things, but these small π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© animal statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ have a lot of significance!

Small Animal Statues on display at the MET! In the front is the jasper hippo, then the amethyst monkey holding its baby, and behind that is the three jerboas.

Let’s first talk about the red π“‚§π“ˆ™π“‚‹π“…Ÿ jasper hippo π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―! Instead of the usual standing position, this hippo π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ― is laying down and might have been used as an amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…† because there is actually a hole going through it! In Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–, hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ were both feared and respected π“ˆ™π“†‘π“„… because they were one of the most dangerous animals in the Nile Valley 𓇗. However, hippos π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ―π“¦ were also thought to be powerful protectors π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ against evil π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“π“…¨, which is what this amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…† would have done for the wearer! This piece is dated to the New Kingdom. 

The amethyst figure behind the hippo π“Œ‰π“π“ƒ― is of a monkey π“ŽΌπ“„Ώπ“†‘π“„› holding its baby! This piece is dated to the Middle Kingdom but it is very similar in style to some Old Kingdom pieces that are also at the MET! Monkeys π“ŽΌπ“„Ώπ“†‘π“„›π“ͺ are not native to Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– and were actually pets for the very wealthy. This figure also has a loophole in it and would have been used as an amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†. Usually the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a mother and child is associated with fertility and rebirth. 

The three little figures behind the amethyst monkey π“ŽΌπ“„Ώπ“†‘π“„› are little desert rodents called β€œjerboa π“Ž›π“Ώπ“‹΄π“„›. I thought they were mice π“Šͺπ“ˆ–π“Œπ“„› at first and had to look up jerboa in both English and hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ – I love learning new things! The symbolic meaning of these Middle Kingdom statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ are unknown, but they were buried with someone! The jerboa π“Ž›π“Ώπ“‹΄π“„› is a small desert rodent and these animals first show up as statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾π“ͺ during this time period; none have been found dated to the Old Kingdom! 

Small Animal Statues
Small Animal Statues on display at the MET

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