Ring with Cartouche of Amenhotep III
Unknown Artist
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.
Medium
Faience, blue
Dimensions
Diam. 2.3 cm (7/8 in)
Classification
Ring, Amenhotep III cartouche
Period
New Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1911
Accession Number
11.215.78
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate blue faience ring, just 2.3 cm in diameter, hails from Egypt's New Kingdom, specifically Dynasty 18 (ca. 1390–1352 B.C.), during the reign of Amenhotep III. The ring's centerpiece is a royal cartouche—an oval enclosure bearing the pharaoh's name in hieroglyphs, a sacred design believed to protect the ruler's identity like a coiled serpent. Such rings were likely worn as tokens of loyalty or devotion by officials, priests, or admirers, reflecting the pharaoh's divine status in everyday life. Amenhotep III's prosperous era marked a golden age of art, architecture, and diplomacy, w...