Hieratic Ostracon

New Kingdom, Ramesside

ca. 1186–1070 B.C.

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 122

Ostraca (plural for ostracon) are potsherds used as surfaces on which to write or draw. The term is used, by extension, to refer to chips of limestone, which were employed for similar purposes. Despite their humble appearances, ostraca bear a wide range of images and texts, including administrative documents, literary texts, and depictions of royal and divine figures. The texts were mostly written with reed pen and ink of two colors, red and black, and inscribed in Hieratic, the cursive script of ancient Egypt throughout most of its periods. This ostracon bears on both of its sides traces of workmen's identity markers in chorcoal.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Hieratic Ostracon
Period: New Kingdom, Ramesside
Dynasty: Dynasty 20
Date: ca. 1186–1070 B.C.
Geography: From Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Valley of the Kings, Workmen's Huts near KV 55 (site 18) or between KV 18 and KV 21, or from chip heaps in same branch of Valley, Davis/Ayrton excavations, 1907–08
Medium: Limestone, ink
Dimensions: h. 11.4 cm (4 1/2 in); w. 6 cm (2 3/8 in)
Credit Line: Gift of Theodore M. Davis, 1909
Object Number: 09.184.185
Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

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