Ancient Camel Figurines

The one-humped camel or dromedary was found in the Early Dynastic Period, but was not regularly used in Egypt until much later. In the Ptolemaic Period, the camel and Bactrian (two-humped) camel were used as the primary modes of transport across the desert. Camels are depicted in ancient Egyptian artefacts as a symbol of strength and progress. In China, the Bactrian camel was used as a means of transporting goods along the Silk Route, and during the Tang Dynasty, camel statues were placed beside the deceased, tasked with transporting goods in the afterlife.