Lid

Art Historical Context

This delicate earthenware lid, crafted by an unknown Coptic artisan between the 4th and 7th centuries, offers a glimpse into the everyday artistry of early Christian Egypt. Measuring just over 2 inches in diameter, its modest size suggests it once capped a small vessel—perhaps for storing oils, spices, or sacred unguents in a household or monastic setting. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1925, it now resides in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Medieval Art department classified among Coptic ceramics. Coptic culture, flourishing in Egypt after the spread of Christianity, blended ancient Phara...