Cypriote ring based juglet
New Kingdom
Containers such as this were first imported into Egypt in the early 18th Dynasty and are often found in modest burials. The shape of some, such as this one, seem to be modeled after the inverted seedpod of the poppy (Papaver somniferum), cut to release its sap. This suggests that the jars once held opium, which is made from the sap. Opium is a powerful sedative that can be used not only as a painkiller but also in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, fever, and similar complaints.
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