Comb with a giraffe
Unknown Artist
ca. 3900–3500 B.C.
Medium
Ivory (elephant)
Dimensions
h. 18.9 x w. 6.2 x th. 1.1 cm (7 7/16 x 2 7/16 x 7/16 in.)
Classification
Comb, giraffe
Period
Predynastic, Late Naqada l–Naqada II
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1923
Accession Number
23.2.5
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step back 5,500 years to Predynastic Egypt, where exquisite "Comb with a Giraffe" was crafted from elephant ivory around 3900–3500 B.C. Measuring just 18.9 cm tall, this delicate tool from the Late Naqada I–Naqada II period blends everyday utility with artistic flair. Carved by an unknown artisan, its slender form features a graceful giraffe motif atop the handle, turning a simple grooming implement into a prestige object. In ancient Egyptian society, ivory combs this were more than cosmetic tools—they signified wealth and status, as elephant ivory was rare and labor-intensive to work. The gi...