Sealing
Unknown Artist
ca. 1981–1640 B.C.
Medium
Mud
Classification
Sealing
Period
Middle Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund and Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1922
Accession Number
22.1.1824
Art Historical Context
### Sealing *Unknown Artist, ca. 1981–1640 B.C., Mud, Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12–13 Step into ancient Egypt's bustling world of administration with this unassuming yet vital "Sealing" from the Middle Kingdom. Dating to Dynasties 12–13 (ca. 1981–1640 B.C.), this mud impression captures a practical tool of everyday governance during a period of renewed stability and prosperity following chaotic times. The Middle Kingdom saw pharaohs like Amenemhat I consolidate power, fostering advancements in art, literature, and bureaucracy—where seals like this played a starring role. Made from simple...