Textile manufacturing tool
Unknown Artist
ca. 1295–1070 B.C.
Medium
Bronze or copper alloy
Dimensions
l. 9.4 cm (3 11/16 in); diam. 2.5 cm (1 in)
Classification
Needle
Period
New Kingdom, Ramesside
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1911
Accession Number
11.151.91
Art Historical Context
This unassuming yet fascinating *Textile Manufacturing Tool*, dating to around 1295–1070 B.C., hails from Egypt's New Kingdom during the Ramesside period (Dynasties 19–20). Crafted by an unknown artisan, this small bronze or copper alloy implement—measuring just 9.4 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter—was essential for ancient Egyptian textile production, likely used for spinning, weaving, or finishing fine linens that were a cornerstone of daily life, trade, and elite status. In the prosperous era of pharaohs like Ramesses II, Egypt's mastery of metallurgy shone through such tools. The shift to b...