Cowrie shell bead

Middle Kingdom–Early New Kingdom

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 109

This cowrie shell-shaped bead may have come from a girdle that would have been worn by a girl or woman, perhaps in a ritual context. Other examples contain pellets that would have made a soft sound when the wearer moved.

For a complete example of such a girdle, see 16.1.5).

Cowrie shell bead, Gold

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Cowrie shell bead, Gold
Cowrie shell bead, Gold
Cowrie shell bead, Gold
Cowrie shell bead, Gold

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