Hedgehog
Unknown Artist
c. 1391–1353 BCE
Medium
steatite, originally glazed
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.017,"width":0.018,"length":0.025}}
Classification
Scarabs
Department
Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Guerdon S. Holden Memorial Fund
Accession Number
1975.24
About this artwork
This hedgehog (Paraechinus aethiopicus) stands in the round on an oval base, with openwork defining the legs. The carving is delicate and spirited. The face features large, round eyes; widely spaced, short ears; bulging cheeks; and a protruding snout. A tiny tail hangs at the rear. Crosshatching on the back represents the animal's spines. The design on the base begins at the head with a winged sun disk with pendant uraei. Below is a cluster of hieroglyphic signs, including an ankh-sign, a falcon...