Pomegranates were introduced into Egypt from western Asia in the New Kingdom. Their juice was prized as a drink but can also be used as an astringent to shrink tissues and reduce swelling in wounds. The root of pomegranate trees is prescribed in medical papyri as a vermifuge against intestinal worms; its active ingredient, pelletrin, is still used for this purpose. The juice is also helpful in treating stomach disorders such as dysentery and diarrhea. These two jars were made to hold pomegranate juice, probably as a drink but perhaps also for medicinal purposes. The latter use is perhaps likelier for the smaller, green jar, which depicts the fruit in its unripened state, when the juice is too sour to drink.

Like pomegranates, glass-making arrived in Egypt in the New Kingdom, perhaps also as an import from western Asia. These two vessels were formed around a clay core, which was scraped out after the glass had cooled and hardened. The rims were made by reheating, cutting, and pressing the glass into shape.