Artwork Page for Inlay: Head of a King

Details / Information for Inlay: Head of a King

Inlay: Head of a King

380–246 BCE

Egypt, Greco-Roman period (332 BCE–395 CE), Ptolemaic dynasty

(305–30 BCE)
Medium
red jasper
Measurements
Overall: 4.4 x 3.2 x 1.8 cm (1 3/4 x 1 1/4 x 11/16 in.)
Credit Line
James Parmelee Fund 1966.370
Public Domain
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Location
107 Egyptian
Print
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Did You Know?

Most Egyptian inlays are made of glass or faience, a type of ceramic, not precious or semiprecious stone like jasper.

Description

This miniature carved stone profile depicts a left-facing Egyptian king. The inlay was once part of a larger scene, with a cutaway on the king’s head clearly leaving room for an Egyptian crown and the neckline for a traditional broad collar. It is skillfully carved and made from red jasper, a semiprecious stone. The naturalistic handling of the cheeks and mouth date this inlay to the Ptolemaic period. An inlay such as this would have been set into a chest, throne, or even a royal coffin.
A red jasper inlay features a fragmented head facing left in profile. The polished, deep red stone is marked by small dark pits and has a large almond-shaped eye. A slightly upturned mouth has thick lips, while a prominent ear with detailed folds sits at the back. The piece is broken at the crown and neck, leaving an irregular vertical silhouette.

Inlay: Head of a King

380–246 BCE

Egypt, Greco-Roman period (332 BCE–395 CE), Ptolemaic dynasty (305–30 BCE)

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