Oil Jar with Lid
Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12 (about 1985-1773 BCE)
Medium
Stone
Dimensions
a (jar): 7.9 × 7.4 × 7.4 cm (3.14 × 2.95 × 2.94 in) b (lid): .5 × 7.4 × 7.4 cm (.21 × 2.92 × 2.95 in)
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
128014
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The perfume and scented ointments that both men and women in ancient Egypt wore were also important in religious and funerary rites. This vessel typifies the classic form of ointment jar – with a flaring top and flat disk lid- that was used for over 3,000 years in Egypt.
About the Artist
Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian artists, a collective of highly skilled artisans spanning over three millennia from the Predynastic period (c. 6000–3150 BC) to the Roman era (30 BC–4th century AD), produced some of humanity's most enduring masterpieces. These anonymous craftsmen, often organized in state-sponsored workshops, lived in dedicated communities like Deir el-Medina near Luxor during the New Kingdom (c....