Palette – zoomorphic, hartebeest PAL-0580
By Droux, Xavier
Archaeological site unknown.
According to the museum label, this object may be from el-Mansoura, eastern Delta.Cairo, International Airport T3 museum.
Date : Naqada IIA–B
General date of type pal_bov_2a, see Droux (2019, not listed).
Material : Greywacke
Preservation : Fragmentary
Preservation information :
The front leg and most of the front horn are missing. The palette seems to have splintered in two halve, with damages visible along the bottom edge.
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 just sufficently preserved to determine that they are lyre-shaped and 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. The eyes are not indicated, nor any other detail of the head.
The head is not particularly long and connects with the back with the marked hump seen in similar palettes. The front of the animal is quite straight. The legs were likely both angular, stylised protuberances with rounded extremities.
Additional information
pal_bov_2a
Comments
This artfact was seen on display: no number was indicated.