Crocodile figure
Unknown Artist
ca. 1850–1700 B.C.
Medium
Egyptian blue
Dimensions
L. 8.6 × W. 3.7 × H. 1.7 cm (3 3/8 × 1 7/16 × 11/16 in.)
Classification
Figure, Crocodile
Period
Late Middle Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1907
Accession Number
07.227.19
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite crocodile figure, crafted around 1850–1700 B.C. during Egypt's Late Middle Kingdom (asty 13), captures awe-inspiring power of the Nile's most fearsome inhabitant. Measuring just 8.6 cm long, this petite sculpture is made of Egyptian blue—a groundbreaking synthetic pigment invented by ancient Egyptians around 2500 B.C. Composed of copper compounds, silica, and lime, it produces a vibrant turquoise hue that has endured for millennia, symbolizing the sky and divine protection. In ancient Egyptian culture, crocodiles embodied both danger and divinity, often linked to Sobek, the god...