The alabaster collection

Alabaster:

<!--Alabaster is a type of white or translucent stone used in Egyptian statuary and architecture. It is a form of limestone or calcium carbonate also known as calcite.

<!--Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals; gypsum (a hydrous sulfate of calcium) and calcite (a carbonate of calcium). The former is the alabaster of the present day; latter is generally the alabaster of the ancients.

<!--It was quarried from Hatnub which was 18km southeast of El Amarna city in Middle Egypt.

<!--Its ancient Egyptian name was sSp. Some scholars suggested that the word alabaster itself was derived from an ancient Egyptian word alabaster which means vessel of the goddess Bastet or from Alabastron which was the name of ancient Egyptian town.

<!--Although alabaster is a hard stone, the complete mastery of the material is well proven by the manner which Egyptian craftsmen sculpted and fashioned the hard stone as if it was clay

Method of producing alabaster pieces:

<!--We have several representations of the method used for quarrying and manufacturing of alabaster in ancient Egypt

<!--The main idea that they used to get the block of alabaster out of the quarries then they covered it with a piece of cloth, which was glued over the block then they left it to dry in the sun for about five or six days

<!--When the cloth is dried the craftsman would carve the stone into the desired shape like statues, vases and containers.

<!--If they wanted to carve it as a vase or something hollow from inside they used to hollow the inside of the container using a drill combined with an abrasive substance such as quartizite powder or sand while they were drilling

<!--After that the piece of cloth would be removed and the product was polished. It was then put in ovens and then given a layer of wax to give it the shiny appearance.

The collection

<!--More than 60 pieces were discovered. They were found mainly in the annex, in the antechamber and many other places

<!--Most of them have been emptied by robbers who cared about the contents of unguents and the perfumes more than other valuable things which indicate that they were precious materials. Robbers poured out the contents in leather bas rather than carrying the heavy jars. Traces of the unguents poured out could still be seen on mouths of some jars.

<!--Chemical analysis of the traces found of these perfumes and unguents showed that the main component was animal fats, balsam which was brought from some trees and different kinds of oils as cedar oil. It has been estimated that the total amount of the contents was about 400 liters.

<!--Methods of extracting perfumes and unguents had been recorded on several tomb walls and recipes were explained on some papyri. The main steps were as follows:

<!--An odorless animal fat like ox fax, goose fat or a pig fat was used as a base then wine or beer were added in addition to the sweet smelling components like flowers or spices. In case of using flowers or herbs, they used to steep them in a liquid which was wine mixed with water and leave it to get out the juices.

<!--Another way to extract the perfume was by boiling harder components like cinnamon or aromatic wood to get the oil which will then be skimmed off the surface.

A perfume container symbolizing the unification of the two lands

<!--<!--

<!--It was found between the doors of the first and the second of the four large shrines situated around the sarcophagus, coffins and mummy of Tutankhamen in the burial chamber.

<!--The vessel has a long neck with two handles better known as amphora because it is similar to vessels used by Greeks and Romans taking the same shape and they used to contain wine or oil.

<!--The stopper of this container is now missing. Most probably it took the form of the king or the head of the king because we can see Goddess Nekhbet stretching her wings around that missing figure which was probably made out of precious stone or gold and it was stolen or missing for any other reasons.

<!--Over the body of the amphora there are two columns of hieroglyphic inscriptions giving the names and titles of the king and his wife the queen

<!--The handles are made in openwork representing the smA tAwy sign of the unification of the two lands. There are two standing figures of god HAby: HAby mHyt and HAby Smayt tying the lotus and papyrus together as a sign of unification

<!--HAby mHyt: the northern god was represented with a clump of papyrus over his head while the southern god was represented with lotus flowers

<!--The ancient Egyptians used to differentiate between the Nile itself which they called itrw wr or itrw aA and the Nile inundation which they deified in the form of HAby

<!--HAby was the representation of the flood, the ancient Egyptians used to call the arrival of the flood as the arrival of HAby

<!--HAby was represented combining the male and female features together or the hermaphrodite form. He is depicted with the heavy breasts and swollen belly of a woman and the rest of the body as a man as a sign of fertility. Sometimes he would carry an offering table heaped with different king of offerings like fish, birds and flowers like lotus and papyrus.

<!--He didn’t have a particular cult center he was worshipped all over Egypt from the North to the south but he was believed to live in Aswan and Gabla el Selsela near the first cataract of the Nile where he was thought to dwell in the caverns

<!--Another symbolism for the unification of the two lands is represented in the two columns behind the two gods. These columns are decorated with papyrus and lotus and each one is surmounted by a cobra, one of these tow cobras is wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt while the other is wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt

<!--The Nile god is standing up on a pedestal which is decorated with openwork decoration which shows two figures of Horus outstretching their wings to protect the cartouches of the king on the long side

<!--The short side depicts representations of the winged serpent protecting the cartouches of the king between its wings.

Hieroglyphic inscription on the vase:

The third column represents the name and titles of his wife:

A basin with a boat at the center

<!--<!--<!--It is considered one of the most beautiful pieces of the collection of king Tutankhamen

<!--It was found in the annex of the tomb

<!--The function of this boat is uncertain; it was either an unguent container or a perfume holder or most probably it was a centerpiece used during celebrations and ceremonies for decoration purposes because Carter found it covered with garlands of flowers.

<!--Ti consists of a boat mounted on a pedestal both of which are decorated with floral and geometric motifs. It is thought that this basin might have been filled with water to complete the image of the decorative centerpiece

<!--It is mounted upon short cylindrical legs. The basin is decorated with some features of the shrines like the cavetto cornice and torus molding

<!--The boat itself is represented with ibex or antelope heads at the prow and stern both of those heads have real horns one of which is now missing and they are both facing the same direction. The second one is turned about 180 degree to face the same direction

<!--At the prow a naked girl with a curly wig wearing earrings, armlets and bracelets is represented seated and holding in her hand a blue lotus

<!--At the stern there is a dwarf standing naked and he is wearing a wig similar to the one worn by the girl. He is also wearing armlets and bracelets. When this piece was first discovered he was holding a pole in his hand and most probably he was the helmsman who directed the boat

N.B there were two kinds of dwarfs known in ancient Egypt: the pygmies were in a small form of normal human and without any deformities. They were a species which lived in Africa. Dwarfs with pathological deformities; they had normal sized torso but short arms and legs the head was also big

<!--In the center of the boat there is a cabin or kiosk supported at the four corners with columns having double capitals one papyrus set in lotus flowers. These columns support the roof of the kiosk and they are partly gilded. The kiosk is decorated with the same floral and geometric motifs as well as having the cavetto cornice and torus molding

<!--At the side nearer to the prow of the boat there are three cartouches bearing the names of the king and the queen

<!--On either sides of the basin there are lotus and papyrus upon which there are two cobras. The one which is over the papyrus is wearing the red crown while the one over the lotus is wearing the white crown

<!--There are also some signs; the wAs sign of prosperity, the Dd sign of stability and the Sn sign of eternity  

A jar in a form of a lion or god Bes

<!--<!--

<!--It was found in the annex but the crown was removed by ancient robbers and was lying on the floor nearby

<!--It represents a lion; most probably it could be god Bes

<!--God Bes was a household deity. He was the god of music, fun and merrymaking and he was thought to protect women during child birth. He was represented on most of cosmetic containers and objects associated with beauty like mirrors..etc. Recent opinions has suggested that he composed a triad with Taweret represented as a pregnant hippopotamus as consort an Meskhent goddess of the birthing bricks as their daughter and they were all associated with childbirth

<!--The lion or Bes is standing upright on a pedestal. The head and the body were hollowed out to hold unguent or perfume, traces of which could still be seen at the top of the container

<!--The container is made out of alabaster while the tongue and the teeth are made out of ivory. The tongue is painted red. The left front paw rests on the sA sign of protection, while the right one is held up either to greet the people or to stop the evil in a gesture meaning to stop. The right back paw is stepped forward in contrast to the left leg stepping forward attitude of kings.

<!--Over the head there is a crown decorated with floral and geometrical motifs serving as the mouth of the jar. The earlobes are pierced to hold earrings

<!--The names and titles of the king and queen are inscribed on the chest

<!--At the back of the figure there is a representation of a blue rosette or a tuft of hair on the shoulder of the lion and this sign was proved that this lion belongs to king Tutankhamen

The Lamp of Tutankhamen

<!--<!--<!--It was found in the burial chamber

<!--It takes the form of a thin walled lotus flower

<!--It has handles with openwork decoration. The handles and the cup are resting on a base taking the form of a table

<!--The handles represent God HH god of millions of years kneeling on the nb sign and papyrus plants with raised arms holding with one hand the anx sign while in his other hand he is holding the notched palm reed. Between the two signs there is the cartouche of the king

<!--The most fabulous thing about this piece is the way it has been executed. It is made out of two layers of alabaster. The outer cup is made of thin layer of translucent alabaster then another container which is smaller in size is placed inside it. The outer surface of the inner cup is decorated with a colorful scene which makes it appear that the lamp is painted from inside

<!--The scene which is inside the lamp represents the king while seated on his throne holding the anx sign while his wife is standing in front of him presenting to him two notched palm reeds; rnpt sign of million of years. The scene is inscribed with the cartouches of the king and his wife.

<!--The lamp was supposed to be filled with oil then lit by means of a floating wick

N.B it is noticeable that lotus flower is a common representation on most of the alabaster containers of this collection because lotus is one of the flowers which has a fragrant smell expecially the blue one and it’s a suitable motif for the decoration of unguent or perfume containers.