Palette – zoomorphic, Barbary sheep PAL-0202
By Droux, Xavier
Archaeological site unknown.
10.1938 : Bought.Leiden, Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, F 1938/10.27.
Date : Naqada IIC–D
Material : Greywacke
Preservation : Fragmentary
Preservation information :
The head is missing; chips along edges.
Description
This is a rather small example of a palette shaped as a Barbary-sheep. The animal has an ovoid silhouette; it is shown in a recumbent positition. The palette is drilled for suspension in the middle of the back.
Decoration
Since the head is missing, it is not possible to identify the species with certainty. There seems to be no remains of the horns on the preserved part of the neck and no chest mane was indicated at the front of the palette. Yet, the manner of showing the legs folded under the body, with well-carved details of the hooves, indicates that the Barbary sheep might have been the intended species by comparison with other palettes of type pal_bov_1b. A short tail is indicated at the back.
Dimensions (cm)
10
12.3
Additional information
pal_bov_1b
Acknowledgements
We thank Stan Hendrickx for bringing this artefact to our attention.