Mirror

New Kingdom

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 114

This was cast in two pieces and a tang at the bottom of the disk was inserted into the handle and held in place with a rivet. The handle is in the form of a stylized papyrus plant, a symbol of creative female power, and brings to mind the papyrus swamp, which in Egyptian mythology was associated with regeneration.

The mirror belongs to a set of cosmetic equipment (26.7.837a–d) that includes a razor and whetstone, tweezers, and a kohl tube (26.7.1447). All of these items were found in a basket placed in a tomb for the use of the owner's spirit.

Mirror, Bronze or copper alloy

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Mirror, Bronze or copper alloy
Mirror, Bronze or copper alloy
Mirror, Bronze or copper alloy
Mirror, Bronze or copper alloy

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