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Comb with Gazelle — Anonymous, reign of Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BCE)

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Written by: Louis WeberSenior Specialist · Antiquities
Antiquities · Catalogue no. 12246
Anonymous, reign of Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BCE)

Comb with Gazelle

StatusReference work · Not for sale
Held byCleveland Museum of Art
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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. The luxurious obsidian and gold beaker hints at the precious contents it once held. Others are fanciful in form, such as an ostrich egg. The god Bes, patron god of cosmetics, himself is the subject of a colorful jar. The delicately carved human face and the head of a giraffe decorated elaborate ivory cosmetic spoons.

Artist / MakerAnonymous, reign of Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BCE)
Datec. 1391–1353 BCE
Culture / OriginEgypt, New Kingdom (1540–1069 BCE), Dynasty 18, reign of Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BCE)
Mediumwood
DimensionsOverall: 5.4 x 5.7 x 0.4 cm (2 1/8 x 2 1/4 x 3/16 in.)
DepartmentEgyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art
TypeCosmetic Objects
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Provenance & Source

Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.

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