The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 28, 2024

Palette in the Form of a Turtle

Palette in the Form of a Turtle

c. 3500–3050 BCE
(5000–2950 BCE), Naqada IIa–IIIa (3650–3000 BCE)
Overall: 7.8 cm (3 1/16 in.)
Location: 107 Egyptian

Did You Know?

This is an ancient makeup palette used to blend and apply cosmetics.

Description

Stone palettes were used for grinding eyepaint worn by men and women alike for cosmetic purposes and to protect against sun glare and eye infections. There were two types of eyepaint: green, made from malachite (copper ore), and black, made from galena (lead ore). Small quantities of ore are sometimes found in graves alongside the palettes.
  • Purchased from Alkis Matheos, Uraeus Gallery, Paris
  • Berman, Lawrence M., and Kenneth J. Bohač. Catalogue of Egyptian Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1999 Reproduced: p. 115; Mentioned: p. 115
  • The Year in Review for 1989. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 6-April 15, 1990).
    CMA 1990, no. 6, illus. p. 66
  • {{cite web|title=Palette in the Form of a Turtle|url=false|author=|year=c. 3500–3050 BCE|access-date=28 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1989.47