Model food offering, cake
Unknown Artist
ca. 1981–1975 B.C.
Medium
Mud
Dimensions
L. 4.7 × Th. .6 cm (1 7/8 in. × 1/4 in.)
Classification
Model food offering, loaf of bread
Period
Middle Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1920
Accession Number
20.3.264
Art Historical Context
This delicate model of a cake, crafted from mud during Egypt's Middle Kingdom (Dyn 12, ca. 1981–1975 B.C.), offers a glimpse into ancient funerary rituals. Measuring just 4.7 cm long and 0.6 cm thick, it served as a symbolic food offering placed in tombs to nourish the deceased in the afterlife. Egyptians believed that such models, alongside shabtis and other provisions, ensured eternal sustenance when real food decayed. Made from simple mud—likely Nile silt shaped and sun-dried—these miniature replicas highlight the ingenuity of Middle Kingdom artisans. This period marked a cultural renaissa...