Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, Ramesside Period, 19th Dynasty (reign of Ramesses II), ca. 1279 to 1213 BCE or 20th Dynasty (reign of Ramesses III), ca. 1186 to 1155 BCE. A petite, hand-built faience offering cup containing a short inscription and the cartouche of either Pharaoh Ramesses II or Ramesses III. The vessel exhibits a planar foot with a slightly protruding rim, an inverted bell-shaped body, and a thick rim that hangs slightly over the body, all covered with lustrous blue glaze characteristic of high-status New Kingdom artistry. A black-painted rectangular panel on the obverse contains 2 columns of hieroglyphs providing an offering to the pharaoh as Lord of the Two Lands, and an encircled cartouche contains 3 hieroglyphs the comprising the beginning of both the names of Ramesses II and Ramesses III; the remaining hieroglyphs are illegible. Size: 1.375" W x 1.9" H (3.5 cm x 4.8 cm)

Faience was known as "tjehnet" to the ancient Egyptians, meaning brilliant or dazzling. It was made by grinding quartz or sand crystals together with various elements, including copper oxide, which gave it its distinctive blue-green hue. The Egyptians believed that blue faience reflected the color of the Nile River both on earth and in the afterlife, and funerary objects are often made of this material.

An offering cup for Ramesses III hammered for 3,120 GBP ($4,122.30) at Christie's, London "Antiquities" auction (Live auction 7376, April 25, 2007, lot 91)

Provenance: private Dodge collection, Superior, Colorado, USA acquired at auction around 2005

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#170595

Small chips to rim and foot, with one deep vertical abrasion along rim, pitting across most surfaces commensurate with age and faience material, fading to blue glaze and black hieroglyphs, and smooth earthen deposits, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation to original blue glaze. Some hieroglyphs are still legible, but those within the lower half of the cartouche are heavily worn and are illegible. Old inventory label beneath base.