Jackal Inlay
Unknown Artist
664–30 B.C.
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
L. 3.8 × H. 2.2 × D. 0.6 cm (1 1/2 × 7/8 × 1/4 in.)
Classification
Inlay, jackal
Period
Late Period–Ptolemaic Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1922
Accession Number
22.3.55
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate **Jackal Inlay**, crafted from glass during Egypt's Late Period to Ptolemaic era (664–30 B.C.), measures just 3.8 cm long, showcasing the ancient Egyptians' mastery of miniaturization. Likely intended as an inlay for furniture, jewelry, or a—common in elite tombs or temples—this small figure captures the sleek form of a jackal, a sacred animal associated with Anis, the god of embalming and protector of the dead. Its presence evokes the profound Egyptian belief in the afterlife, where such amulets bridged the mortal world and eternity. Glass was a prized medium in ancient Egypt, ...