Egyptian Copper High-Necked Vessel
$6,213.65
An ancient Egyptian copper vessel featuring a high neck with a slight, everted rim. Rounded shoulders lead to a curved bowl. The base is slightly rounded. The neck features a hieroglyphic text reading, ‘this is the royal [kings] mirror’.
The diameter given is external, from rim to rim. Internal diameter is 13.8cm.
Date: Circa 1069-525 BC
Period: Third Intermediate Period - Late Period
Provenance: L Föhr collection, Niederdollendorf. Anonymous sale; Lempertz Auction, Cologne, 21 November 1967, lots 77 and 78. Gottfried and Helga Hertel collection, Cologne, acquired at the above sale.
Condition: Excellent
SOLD
High necked bowls such as this first appear in the New Kingdom, although prototypes made of stone existed prior and date to the Third Dynasty. Copper was used extensively in Egypt as it was found abundantly in the Eastern desert and in Sinai. It was a durable material, perfect for bowls, as naturally sourced copper contained arsenic – making it particularly hard.
The hieroglyphic text found on the neck could be an amusing addition, as the bowl could act as a mirror when liquid was added. The distorted reflected image of the viewer could jokingly label them as ‘royalty’.
