AN EGYPTIAN BASALT COSMETIC KOHL POT, OLD KINGDOM

拍品描述

AN EGYPTIAN BASALT COSMETIC KOHL POT, OLD KINGDOM This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve Egypt, c. 2686-2181 BC. Well carved, the globular body tapering gently to a flat base, with high, rounded shoulders rising to a broad circular mouth with a thickened rim. The igneous stone of a dark, fine-grained tone, marked by subtle dark-green mottling and scattered areas of soil accretion. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 2.9 cm, Diameter 3.9 cm Kohl, a dark mineral-based eye cosmetic, was widely used in antiquity for both aesthetic and protective purposes, particularly across Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and Central Asia. In the Oxus Civilization (ca. 2300-1700 BC), small cast bronze or carved stone vessels were used to store kohl, appearing in both domestic and burial contexts. This tradition continued into the Parthian period, especially in northeastern Iran and surrounding regions, where metal kohl containers of similar form were produced with greater precision. Their persistence reflects a long-standing cultural emphasis on personal adornment, hygiene, and status. Literature comparison: Compare a related blue marble kohl pot, dated early Dynasty 12, ca. 1950-1900 BC, 3.1 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 22.1.849. Compare a related obsidian kohl jar, dated Dynasty 12-13, ca. 1981-1640 BC, 2.8 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 22.1.839.

图片