NARRATOR: At the top of this case, in the center, is a small ivory object. This is one of the most important pieces to have survived from the end of the Predynastic period. It’s the top of a decorative hair comb, but the teeth are mostly broken off. On both sides are rows of animals—here, on this side, we see, in the top row, elephants standing on serpents. Below are storks, and a single giraffe. Look carefully at the row of lions below: the one on the left is being attacked by a domesticated dog. This implies the presence of man—the tamer and hunter. All of the wild animals are carved as if in an orderly procession. This is what the Egyptians thought their role was: to bring order into the world.

For another object with a similar theme, look in the lower left of this case for a small flat carving in greenish-grey slate. It depicts a large, coiled snake carved in its center. The snake is a symbol of the forces of chaos. Look closely: just above the snake is a small rectangle with demarcations. It represents an area of cultivated farmland. Above the land perches the royal falcon, representing the pharaoh. Günter Dreyer is Director of the German Institute of Archaeology in Cairo. Günter Dreyer.

GÜNTER DREYER: I think this one of the earliest Egyptian monuments with a royal name. It illustrates the main role of the Egyptian king, to control chaos.

NARRATOR: Indeed, the pharaoh was believed to be divine. It was only through his intervention with the gods that nature was tamed, and humans living under his domain continued to thrive. It’s a theme you’ll see again and again as you explore these galleries—from the earliest objects, like these, through three thousand years of ancient Egyptian art.

If you’d like to hear about another work in this case—an ivory knife handle—press the green play button now.