Umbel Pendant
Unknown Artist
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.
Medium
Faience
Dimensions
L. 0.6 cm (1/4 in)
Classification
Pendant, umbel
Period
New Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1911
Accession Number
11.215.421
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the opulent world of New Kingdom Egypt during Dynasty 18 (ca. 1390–1352 B.C.), the *Umbel Pendant* exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient jewelers. This tiny artifact, measuring just 0.6 cm long, hails from a golden age when pharaohs like Amenhot III and Tutankham ruled, fostering unparalleled artistic innovation and monumental architecture. As part of everyday or ceremonial adornment, such pendants were worn by elites, symbolizing prosperity and divine favor amid Egypt's imperial height. Crafted from faience—a glazed composite of quartz, lime, and clay fired to a vibra...