Magical Figure
Unknown Artist
ca. 1802–1550 B.C.
Medium
Clay (unfired)
Dimensions
H. 6.8 cm (2 11/16 in.); W. 3.5 cm (1 3/8 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
33.1.97
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting "Magical Figure," crafted from unfired clay around 1802–1550 B.C., hails from Egypt's Late Middle Kingdom to Second Intermediate Period (Dynasty 13– Intermediate Period). Standing just 6.8 cm tall and 3.5 cm wide, this diminutive artifact captures the essence of ancient Egyptian folk art, with its simple, expressive face hinting at human-like features. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1933, it now resides in the Metropolitan of Art's Egyptian Art. During a time of political fragmentation and transition in Egypt—marked by the decline of centralized pharaonic power and the em...