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Ivory inlay of Taweret
Nubian
Classic Kerma
about 1700–1550 B.C.
Findspot: Nubia (Sudan), Kerma, K 439
Medium/Technique
Ivory
Dimensions
Height x width x depth: 10.5 x 4 x 0.3 cm (4 1/8 x 1 9/16 x 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Harvard University—Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
Accession Number20.1517
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAncient Egypt, Nubia and the Near East
ClassificationsFurniture
DescriptionThis ivory inlay, which would once have belonged to a wooden fixture such as a funerary bed, depicts the goddess Taweret, facing left and holding a knife in front of her, wearing a somewhat flaring, pleated skirt. Incised lines indicate the mouth, an arm, and one pendulous breast. It is broken into four fragments, but is complete.
Taweret (literally: "the great one") was an especially popular goddess in the domestic sphere throughout pharaonic times. She was conceived as having the body and head of a pregnant hippo, paws of a lion, and back/tail of a crocodile. She was considered a protective deity especially for expecting and birthing mothers as well as young children. Her images appear on many household fixtures such as beds, chairs, and headrests, all of which can also be found as funerary items. She became known outside of Egypt as well, appearing in Nubia (as with this object) and Crete.
Taweret (literally: "the great one") was an especially popular goddess in the domestic sphere throughout pharaonic times. She was conceived as having the body and head of a pregnant hippo, paws of a lion, and back/tail of a crocodile. She was considered a protective deity especially for expecting and birthing mothers as well as young children. Her images appear on many household fixtures such as beds, chairs, and headrests, all of which can also be found as funerary items. She became known outside of Egypt as well, appearing in Nubia (as with this object) and Crete.
ProvenanceJanuary 1914, excavated from tomb K 439, Kerma, Sudan, by the Harvard University--Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition; 1920, assigned in the division of finds by the Government of Sudan to the MFA. (Accession Date: March 1, 1920)