Ancient Egypt, Late Dynastic, ca. 652 to 300 BCE. Finely carved from a creamy white alabaster stone with attractive golden caramel inclusions, a rounded vessel with a corseted shoulder and a dramatically flared, flat rim surrounding a wide mouth - all upon a flat base. Hold this jar to the light, and you will be able to appreciate the marvelous translucency of the stone. This type of vessel was oftentimes used to hold cosmetics; the Egyptians are known for favoring cosmetics such as black kohl painted around the eyes. Size: 3.375" in diameter x 3.625" H (8.6 cm x 9.2 cm)

Alabaster, which is a form of gypsum or calcite, was quarried along the length of the Nile, from Giza to just south of Luxor, and the Egyptians made its carved forms famous throughout the ancient world. A thousand years later, while less common than black-figure or red-figure techniques, the Greeks made vessels like this out of pottery and painted them with white clay paint to imitate this beautiful stone.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#131385

Earthen deposits particularly on the interior. Nice lustrous patina.