Magical Figure
Unknown Artist
ca. 1802–1550 B.C.
Medium
Clay (unfired)
Dimensions
H. 7.4 cm (2 15/16 in.); W. 3.8 cm (1 1/2 in.)
Classification
figure, magical, execration, tablet
Period
Late Middle Kingdom–Second Intermediate Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1933
Accession Number
33.1.78
Tags
Art Historical Context
This petite *Magical Figure*, crafted from unfired clay around 1802–1550 B.C., hails from Egypt's Late Middle Kingdom to Second Intermediate Period (Dynasty 13 through the Second Intermediate Period). just 7.4 cm tall, this enigmatic artifact exemplifies the era's turbulent times, marked by political fragmentation and the rise of foreign influences like the Hyksos. votive figures like this were commonplace in ancient Egyptian households and tombs, serving as talismans to ward off evil or invoke protection. The use of unfired clay—a soft, fragile medium—is particularly noteworthy. Unlike fired...