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Introduction

Ancient Egyptian Galleries

Ancient Egyptian culture, which developed along the Nile River in northeast Africa more than 5,000 years ago, left us some of the most recognizable works of art from antiquity. These two galleries contain works of art once made for Egyptian royalty and the upper and middle classes.

While the objects reflect the Egyptian aesthetic for crisp line and geometric simplicity, they were not created as “art” in the modern sense. There was no word for art in the ancient Egyptian language. Instead, these objects served functional or ritual purposes in everyday life, temple worship, or funerary practices. The ancient Egyptians believed that a statue could house the spirit of the deceased, a figure of a servant could perform physical labor for the deceased in the afterlife, and painted images of food and drink could provide nourishment for eternity.

Selected Objects

Egyptian

Ritual Rattle (Sistrum), 664-525 BCE

Egyptian

Head of a Man, 380-250 BCE

Egyptian

Coffin and mummy of Nesmin, 170-30 BCE

Egyptian, Said to be from the area of Tanis (Northeast Nile Delta)

Portrait of a Man, ca. 150-100 BCE

Egyptian

Ptolemy II with Ritual Rattle (Sistrum), 285-246 BCE

Egyptian

Shabti (Funerary Figurine) of Psamtek, 664-525 BCE

Egyptian

Cylindrical Vessel, 2920-2150 BCE

Egyptian

Head of a man, 2289-2246 BCE

Egyptian

Scarab, 332–30 BCE

Egyptian

Squat Jar, ca. 3400 BCE

Egyptian, From the Karnak Temple Complex

Fragment of Relief with Captives, 1525-1504 BCE

Egyptian

Canopic Jar of Ramose, 664-343 BCE

Egyptian

Canopic Jar of Yuwy, 664-343 BCE

Egyptian

Paint Box, 1302–1070 BCE

Egyptian

Squat Jar, 2770-2150 BCE

Egyptian

Gazelle Palette, 3650-3300 BCE

Egyptian, From Abydos, excavated in 1895

Furniture Support in the Form of a Bull's Leg, ca. 2800 BCE

Egyptian, Probably from Tuna el Gebel

Mummy Mask of a Man, 140–190 CE

Egyptian

Winged Isis Pectoral, 1075-712 BCE

Egyptian

Mummy Mask of a Woman, 50–100 CE

Egyptian

Hippopotamus, 2040-1638 BCE

Egyptian

Black-topped Pot, 3700-3450 BCE

Egyptian

Uraeus (Royal Cobra) Amulet, 525-343 BCE

Egyptian

Ripple-flaked Knife, 3450-3200 BCE

Egyptian, From the Fayum Oasis

Portrait of a Man, ca. 150-160 CE

Egyptian, From the Fayum Oasis

Portrait of a Man, ca. 260 CE

Egyptian

Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, 332-30 BCE

Egyptian

Cosmetic Jar (Kohl Pot), 1991-1784 BCE

Egyptian

Wadjat-eye Amulet, 332-30 BCE

Egyptian, From Naga-ed-Der

Funerary Stela of Heni, 2134-2040 BCE

Egyptian, Fayum Oasis

Portrait of a Woman, ca. 70 CE

Egyptian

Tall Cylindrical Vessel, 2920-2770 BCE

Egyptian

Commemorative Scarab of Amenhotep III, ca. 1360 BCE

Egyptian, From Meir

Model of a Funerary Boat, 2100-1900 BCE

Egyptian

Temple God, 664-332 BCE

Egyptian

Votive Head of a King, reign of Ptolemy II, 285-246 BCE

Egyptian, Possibly from the sacred animal catacombs at Tuna el Gebel

Goddess Maat, 664-525 BCE

Egyptian

Shabti of Lady Hunero, 1550-1302 BCE

Egyptian

Baboon Amulet, 525-343 BCE

Egyptian

Fish Amulet, 1391-1335 BCE

Roman-Egyptian

Painting of the god Heron, ca. 300

Egyptian

Funerary Statuette of a Man, 1991-1783 BCE

Egyptian

Coffin for an ibis, 664-30 BCE or later

Egyptian

Heart Scarab, 525-343 BCE

Egyptian

Rectangular Palette, 3900-3450 BCE

Egyptian

Figure of a Woman, 3700-3450 BCE

Egyptian

Jar with Water, Plant, and Animal Motifs, 3450-3300 BCE

Egyptian

Sculptor’s Model of a Woman, 332-30 BCE

Egyptian

Sculptor's Model of a Striding King, 305-250 BCE

More objects +

RISD Museum

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