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Egyptian

Gazelle Palette, 3650-3300 BCE

Now On View

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Egyptian

Title

Gazelle Palette

Year

3650-3300 BCE

Medium

Siltstone

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • slate

Dimensions

Height: 8.6 cm (3 3/8 inches)

Type

  • Decorative Arts,
  • Tools

Credit

Gift of Mrs. Gustav Radeke

Object Number

14.489

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Ancient Egyptian Galleries

Palettes such as these were a common feature of early burial assemblages. Originally designed to prepare minerals for cosmetics, the earliest known palettes were simple geometric shapes with a circular well for grinding. More elaborate examples, such as the one carved in the shape of a gazelle, were included in burials and temple deposits, probably serving as votive offerings. Its strong, crisp lines distinguish it as part of the beginning of the Egyptian relief-carving tradition.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Gazelle Palette with the accession number of 14.489. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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