Artwork Page for Alabastron

Details / Information for Alabastron

Alabastron

305–222 BCE

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

(305–30 BCE)
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Medium
travertine
Measurements
Diameter: 3.3 cm (1 5/16 in.); Overall: 22.9 cm (9 in.); Stopper: 4.5 cm (1 3/4 in.); Body: 19.1 x 2.5 cm (7 1/2 x 1 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1995.262
Public Domain
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Location
107 Egyptian
Print
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Did You Know?

This perfume holder might have been attached to a string, making it easily portable.

Description

Both ancient Egyptian men and women loved cosmetics. Unguents, oils, and perfumes made from aromatic plant resins and gums were obtained at great cost from distant lands. The objects identified with cosmetics were given lavish treatment.
A translucent, cream-colored travertine vessel features a long, slender body tapering to a rounded base, marked by faint horizontal banding. Two small projections bud from its shoulders like tiny ears. Above, a narrow neck is carved with fine horizontal ridges, topped by a wide, flat, circular rim with a central opening. The polished stone stands with a quiet, vertical elegance, its smooth surface catching the light.

Alabastron

305–222 BCE

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

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