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Unknown Maker, Egyptian

Furniture Support in the Form of a Bull's Leg
Now On View

Maker

Unknown Maker, Egyptian

Culture

Egyptian

Title

Furniture Support in the Form of a Bull's Leg

Period

Early Dynastic Period, Dynasty 1, 2920-2770 BCE

Year

ca. 2800 BCE

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

hippo ivory

Geography

Place Made: From Abydos, excavated in 1895

Dimensions

Height: 12.4 cm (4 7/8 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Helen M. Danforth Acquisition Fund

Object Number

1999.55.2

Type

Exhibition History

Ancient Egyptian Galleries
Jun 10, 2014

Label copy

This rare object from Egypt's earliest dynasty was excavated from the royal cemetary at Abydos, in southern Egypt. This furniture support, made of hippopotamus ivory carved into a bull's leg with stylized veins, was originally equipped with a tenon, a projecting piece that fit into a rod above. Leather thongs were fastened through the holes at the top to further secure the leg to the rod. A complete set of four of these legs originally supported a chair, stool, bed, or gaming board of one of the First Dynasty kings.

Image use

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Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Egyptian
Furniture Support in the Form of a Bull's Leg, ca. 2800 BCE
Hippopotamus ivory
Height: 12.4 cm (4 7/8 inches)
Helen M. Danforth Acquisition Fund 1999.55.2

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