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Magic knife (peseshkef)
Egyptian
Old Kingdom, Dynasty 6
2350–2170 B.C.
Findspot: Egypt, Giza
Medium/Technique
Travertine (Egyptian alabaster)
Dimensions
Length: 5 cm (1 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
Harvard University—Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
Accession Number28.1148
CollectionsAncient Egypt, Nubia and the Near East
ClassificationsReligious and cult objects
The peseshkef was a disntictive type of knife that was split at one end and is sometimes called a "fishtail" knife today. The knives played a crucial role in funeral ritual, although their exact function in the Old Kingdom is uncertain. In later times, they were used in the "Opening of the Mouth" ceremony, which allowed the deceased to eat, drink, breathe and speak in the afterlife. During the Old Kingdom, the knives came as part of a set, along with two model jars, one dark and one light, and two dark and two light model cups.
DescriptionSplit at one end, perhaps used in the "opening of the mouth" ceremony performed on the deceased.
ProvenanceFrom Giza, tomb G 7550 B. 1928: excavated by the Harvard University-Museum of Fine Arts Expedition; 1928: assigned to the MFA by the government of Egypt.
(Accession Date: May 27, 1987)
(Accession Date: May 27, 1987)