Egyptian, From Abydos, excavated in 1895

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.