Weaving combs are used to beat or compress weft yarns against previous rows, ensuring that the final textile has a consistent density. This large weaving comb was made from three pieces of wood joined with pegs, decorated with a concentric circle design. It is one of...
This is a miniature comb, excavated from Karanis, that was most likely used in children’s play activities. Today, many children play with miniatures of “adult” objects to learn behaviors and mimic social interactions; this comb may have served a...
This lamp from Egypt’s Fayoum region is testament to both continuity and change in the ancient Mediterranean. The greenish blue to dark blue glaze belongs to a family of similar-colored materials, often called “faience,” used in Egypt since the...
This tiny figurine depicts Isis-Aphrodite, a syncretic deity that was linked to love, beauty, marriage, and childbirth, combining the attributes of the Egyptian goddess Isis and the Greek goddess Aphrodite. The goddess is in the anasyromene pose, lifting her robes to...
Preserved color abounds on this figurine of the god Harpocrates. He leans against a pink amphora, which rests on a yellow base, while holding a pink, rounded pot in his left arm. Next to Harpocrates stands a red and blue oven, on top of which sits a black, spotted...
