Clapper
Unknown Artist
ca. 1900–1640 B.C.
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
L. 22 × W. 6.1 × Th. 0.8 cm (8 11/16 × 2 3/8 × 5/16 in.)
Classification
Music, clapper, arm, hand
Period
Middle Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1922
Accession Number
22.1.142
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ivory clapper, dating to Egypt's Middle Kingdom (ca 1900–1640 B.C.), hails from Dynasty 12 to mid-Dynasty 13—a golden era of artistic revival and cultural stability following the chaos of the First Intermediate Period. Crafted from elephant ivory, a material symbolizing luxury and divine favor, it measures a slender 22 cm in length, perfect for handheld use. Such instruments were essential percussion tools in ancient Egyptian music, likely clapped together to produce rhythmic beats. Clappers held profound cultural and ritual significance, accompanying dances, temple ceremonies,...