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Egyptian Artifacts

Carved Ceremonial Palette

This is a really cool piece – I love it because it reminds me of the Narmer π“ π“ˆ–π“‡‹ Palette π“π“Šƒπ“π“†±! While a lot smaller, this β€œCarved Ceremonial Palette π“π“Šƒπ“π“†±β€ is dated to either the end of the pre-dynastic period or the beginning of the dynastic period (c. 3200-3100 B.C.E.). Why is the word β€œceremonial” used to describe it? Usually when something historical is described as β€œceremonial” that’s code for β€œwe really don’t know the object’s purpose.”

The palette π“π“Šƒπ“π“†± is made of graywacke π“·π“‚‹π“ƒ€π“π“ˆ– which is a type of sandstone π“‚‹π“…±π“‚§π“π“Œ—π“ˆ™ that was only really found in one particular quarry π“Ž›π“π“π“‰ in Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–. The quarry π“Ž›π“π“π“‰ was in the Eastern 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭 desert π“…Ÿπ“‚‹π“π“ˆŠ and was called Wadi Hammamat. The Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ referred to greywacke π“·π“‚‹π“ƒ€π“π“ˆ– as the β€œbekhen stone.”

These pieces from the early history of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– are always so difficult yet so fascinating to attempt to interpret! The circular area in the center of the palette π“π“Šƒπ“π“†± would have been used to grind eye paint (kohl). Egyptologists have interpreted the circle to be the body of a snake 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙. Snakes 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆙π“₯ were representative of chaos and the universe. Above the circle is the image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„ which is the emblem of a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The falcon π“ƒ€π“‡‹π“Ž‘π“…„ is sitting on top of irrigated land (it’s the same symbol used to represent the Horus Name title for pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 at later dates).