Administrative Seal
Unknown Artist
ca. 1981–1640 B.C.
Medium
Clay (unfired)
Classification
Sealing, administrative
Period
Middle Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1932
Accession Number
32.1.143n
Tags
Art Historical Context
This Administrative Seal, dating to Egypt’s Middle Kingdom (Dynasty 12–13, ca. 1981–1640 B.), offers a tangible glimpse into the bureaucratic sophistication of ancient Egyptian society. Crafted from unfired clay, the seal would have been used to impress official marks on documents,, or goods, ensuring and accountability in an era when centralized administration flourished under powerful pharaohs. Its survival in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art—acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1932—highlights how even modest administrative tools reveal the intricate systems that sustained on...