W1022

 

W1022

Ointment bowl in stone. In the shape of a double duck. Probably from Saqqara. Open palettes in the shape of animals are usually found in temple contexts.  Although these are usually classed as palettes they may alternatively be spoons.

 

The back to back nature of these figures suggests they are trussed ducks or geese. Other trussed animals are sometimes used to form open palettes/spoons. Their trussed nature may suggest that they are intended as offerings.

Open containers such as these are mainly found in tomb and temple contexts and date to the New Kingdom. 

Further Reading 

Delanges, E. 1993. Rites et beauté: objets de toilette égyptiens. Paris.

Frédéricq, M. 1927. “The Ointment Spoons in the Egyptian Section of the British Museum”, in Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 13, 11, pl. 4.

Peck, W.H. 1982. Spoons and Dishes. In Brovarski et al. (ed.) Egypt’s Golden Age: The Art of Living in the New Kingdom. Boston.