Decorated Situla
Unknown Artist
305–30 BCE
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
h. 28.3 cm · diam. 15.5 cm
Classification
Vessels
Department
Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
The Charles W. Harkness Endowment Fund
Accession Number
1932.32
About this artwork
The situla was a deluxe ritual vessel that played an important role in Egyptian religious ceremonies. The two scenes on this situla exemplify the dual roles of a pious Egyptian in the afterlife: receiving offerings from his family on the one hand and making offerings to the gods on the other. On one side of the vessel the deceased, Padiamennebnesuttawy ("He who Amen, lord of Karnak, gives"), sits in a low chair accompanied by his pet dog. The vertical, cross-shaped sign preceding the animal is h...