Archaeological Museum of Bologna

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Collections / Ricerca / Feeding in Ancient Egypt

Round-bodied jar with self-stand

Round-bodied jar with self-stand

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The style of this jar imitates the shape of a terracotta Canaanite amphora – a typology of vessel used to transport first and foremost oil and wine, but also incense and terebinth resin, across the east Mediterranean. In Egypt the usage of Canaanite amphorae for the import of goods from the East is testified since the Middle Kingdom, whereas only in the New Kingdom Egyptians began to produce local amphorae. The button base of these jars required a wooden or terracotta self-stand to fasten them to an immovable and suitable position for their usage. Self-stand of stone replicas, like this one, could have been an integral part the entire jar. The disc lid used to seal its content was moulded separately. Similar alabaster amphorae have been found in Theban tombs from the first half of the 18th dynasty. Such a discovery enables us to date this typology of jar rather accurately and limit their usage to the highest ranks of Egyptians society at the time.

Provenance: Egypt, unknown origin
Datation: New Kingdom, 18th dynasty (1539-1292 B.C.)
Material: Calcite
Dimensions: Height: 37 cm; width: 25 cm.
Bibliography: G. Kminek-Szedlo, Catalogo di Antichità egizie, Torino 1895, n. 3187
Inventory #: MCA-EGI-EG_3187

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