Hieratic Ostracon Dated to Year 21 of Ramesses II
Ostraca (plural for ostracon) are potsherds used as surfaces on which to write or draw. The term is used, by extension, to refer to chips of limestone, which were employed for similar purposes. Despite their humble appearances, ostraca bear a wide range of images and texts, including administrative documents, literary texts, and depictions of royal and divine figures. The texts were mostly written with reed pen and ink of two colors, red and black, and inscribed in Hieratic, the cursive script of ancient Egypt throughout most of its periods. This limestone ostracon bears on one side five incomplete lines of a hieratic note dates to year 21, most probably of the reign of Ramesses II.
Artwork Details
- Title: Hieratic Ostracon Dated to Year 21 of Ramesses II
- Period: New Kingdom, Ramesside
- Dynasty: Dynasty 19
- Reign: Reign of Ramesses II, year 21
- Date: ca. 1258 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Valley of the Kings, Workmen's Huts near KV 55 (site 18) or between KV 18 and KV 21, or from chip heap in same branch of Valley, Davis/Ayrton excavations, 1907–08
- Medium: Limestone, ink
- Dimensions: H. 14.2 × W. 14.1 × Th. 3.4 cm (5 9/16 × 5 9/16 × 1 5/16 in.)
- Credit Line: Gift of Theodore M. Davis, 1909
- Object Number: 09.184.183
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
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