Broad Collar piece (?)
Unknown Artist
ca. 1850–1640 B.C.
Medium
Faience
Dimensions
H. 2 cm (13/16 in.)
Classification
Broad Collar piece (?)
Period
Middle Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1915
Accession Number
15.3.52a
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Broad Collar piece*, dating to the late Middle Kingdom (ca. 1850–1640 B.C.), offers a glimpse into ancient Egypt's masterful jewelry traditions during Dynasties 12–13. Broad collars were iconic status symbols—wide necklaces of colorful beads worn by elites, priests, and even royalty for ceremonies, burials, or as rewards from pharaohs. Though only 2 cm high, this fragment likely formed part of such a lavish adornment, evoking the era's renewed artistic vigor after the Old Kingdom's pyramids. Crafted from faience—a glazed composite of quartz, lime, and clay—this piece shines wit...