Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History



  • Elephant, Late Naqada II (ca. 3650–3300 b.c.)
    Egyptian
    Serpentine, bone

    Rogers Fund, 1959 (59.101.1)

    Few amulets from the Predynastic Period are known. In the past, Egyptologists identified these amulets as representing a bull's head, but the round face and eyes, the horns that curve inward to the face, and a snout with a defined ridge make a strong argument for its identification as an elephant. During this period, elephants lived in oasis-like zones in the high desert created by greater rainfall than today. They were probably a rare sight to floodplain dwellers, but their size, tusks, and aggressive displays made them an awe-inspiring creature and an excellent subject for a potent amulet.

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    Elephant, Late Naqada II (ca. 3650–3300 b.c.)
    Egyptian
    Serpentine, bone

    Rogers Fund, 1959 (59.101.1)


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