Palette – zoomorphic, hartebeest PAL-0016
By Droux, Xavier
Archaeological site unknown.
1939 : Gift of Robert L. Mond.London, British Museum, EA 65238.
Date : Naqada IIA–B
General date of type pal_bov_2a, see Droux (2019).
Material : Greywacke
Preservation : Almost complete
Preservation information :
Tip of front horn missing; small chips on edges and pitting on the surface.
Description
The palette has a mostly ovoid shape with added stylised zoomorphic details. The hartebeest is shown standing, with its head raised. A small hole is drilled through the back, likely for attaching a string or thong.
Decoration
The horns are sufficently preserved to determine that they are lyre-shaped and seen seen frontally, as is characteristic of the hartebeest. A hole was drilled between the horns to separate them from one another, yet, as with other examples of this type, the horns do not connect again above the hole. A small ear protrudes behind the head. A shallow depression is drilled on each side of the palette in order to represent the eyes, which were perhaps originally inlaid. The mouth is represented by a small incision at the tip of the muzzle and the nostrils by a small notch.
There is a small hump at the back before the junction with the neck. The legs appear as two angular, stylised protuberances. The tail is not indicated.
Dimensions (cm)
9.7
15.1
0.6
Additional information
pal_bov_2a
Comments
Palettes of shape-type pal_bov_2 are all carved in the shape of the hartebeest, although identification is sometimes tentative; sub-type 2a seems to pre-date sub-type 2b; see Droux (2019); this assumption is based on stylistic considerations since no palette of sub-type 2b comes from a known, precise archaeological context.
Acknowledgements
We thank Renée Friedman for facilitating the study of this artefact.
