Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE

Made:
2040 - 1782 BCE in Egypt
maker:
Unknown
Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Aragonite slab with 7 holes for cosmetic ointments
Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Stone slab with seven wells for sacred oils, Egypt, 2040 - 1782 BCE Aragonite slab with 7 holes for cosmetic ointments

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Aragonite slab with 7 holes for cosmetic ointments
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Aragonite or alabaster slab with seven circular wells labelled in hieroglyphics, one for each of the sacred oils used in ancient Egyptian funerary and religious rituals, Egyptian, 2040 BCE – 1782 BCE

This stone tablet was made in Egypt around 4000 years ago. Each of its seven sections, divided by incised vertical lines, contains a small depression to hold a drop of one of the seven sacred oils used during embalming and ceremonies for the dead. The most important of these was the Opening of the Mouth ritual, performed on mummified bodies and statues to restore the deceased's senses and enable them to function in the afterlife. Each division is labelled with the name of the relevant oil in hieroglyphics. The wearing on the slab suggests it was heavily used.

Details

Category:
Classical & Medieval Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A634883
Materials:
aragonite
Measurements:
overall: 17 mm x 198 mm x 84 mm, 0.534 kg
type:
ointment slab
credit:
Sotheby's

Related Objects

Pottery drug jar, ovoid body, with parchment cover, possibly Persian

Pottery drug jar
Glass jug, Roman, 251-450 AD

Glass jug, Roman, 251-450 AD
Wooden corbel caved in form of head of caricature head, perhaps Breton, 17th or 18th century; decoration: carved middle aged male face with very exaggerated features, especially the eyes, wearing severe cap like lawyers which frames the face. Made in France, perhaps Brittany.

Wooden corbel carved in form of caricature head
Bronze statuette of the winged god Mercury, possibly Roman

Bronze statue of the god Mercury, probably Roman, c. 400BC-400AD.

Carved wooden figure of Job covered in boils, Europe, 1750-1850

Thigh tourniquet, Roman, 199 BCE-500 CE