Statuette of a Falcon

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Egyptian Art galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this exquisite *Statuette of a Falcon (H. 10.8 cm) hails from the Ptolemaic Period (304–30 B.C.), the final flourish of ancient Egypt under Greek Ptolemaic rule. Crafted from porphyry—a rare, purple-hued hardstone quarried from Egypt's Eastern Desert—this small sculpture captures the falcon in poised vigilance, its sleek form embodying the bird's divine grace. Acquired in 1966 through the Fletcher Fund and The Guide Foundation Inc. Gift, it exemplifies the era's masterful stone carving traditions. In ancient Egyptian cul...