Cosmetic Spoon in the Form of a Swimming Girl

Third Intermediate Period–Kushite Period

ca. 1070–664 B.C.

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 122

Made of faience with bright turquoise glaze, this cosmetic container has a handle in the form of a naked girl holding a rectangular basin in her outstretched arms. Naked except for her black wig, the girl is thought, based on two-dimensional representations that show such figures in a marshy setting, to be swimming. In other examples, the girl can hold a waterfowl, a marsh plant, or a cartouche, and such spoons have been interpreted as ritual objects that can be read as rebuses associated with goddesses such as Nut and Hathor.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Cosmetic Spoon in the Form of a Swimming Girl
Period: Third Intermediate Period–Kushite Period
Dynasty: Dynasty 21–25
Date: ca. 1070–664 B.C.
Geography: From Egypt
Medium: Faience
Dimensions: L. 15.7 × W. 4.4 × H. 3.8 cm (6 3/16 × 1 3/4 × 1 1/2 in.)
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1944
Object Number: 44.4.14
Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

More Artwork

In the same gallery

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Cosmetic Spoon in the Shape of Swimming Woman Holding a Dish, Travertine (Egyptian alabaster), steatite — Cosmetic Spoon in the Shape of Swimming Woman Holding a Dish
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.

Handle of a Cosmetic Spoon in the Form of a Leopard, Travertine (Egyptian alabaster) — Handle of a Cosmetic Spoon in the Form of a Leopard
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.

Hippopotamus ("William"), Faience — Hippopotamus ("William")
ca. 1961–1878 B.C.

Model Broad Collar of Hapiankhtifi, Faience, blue green and black — Model Broad Collar of Hapiankhtifi
ca. 1981–1802 B.C.

Sphinx of Amenhotep III, possibly from a Model of a Temple, Faience, remains of a travertine (Egyptian alabaster) tenon — Sphinx of Amenhotep III, possibly from a Model of a Temple
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.