Head, Ptolemy III (?)

Ptolemaic Period

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 134

Wearing the diadem of a Ptolemaic ruler, this head is thought to represent Ptolemy III.

The head is broken away from a vessel, probably a shallow cup or a bowl. These types of vessels served for libations in Greek culture, their centers adorned by a relief head (termed an emblema) of a figure from the circle of Dionysius. In Egypt, where the rulers associated themselves strongly with Dionysius, the divine emblema was often replaced by the head of Alexander or a Ptolemaic king.

Link to a blog about Ptolemaic Art at The Met
Nile and Newcomers: A Fresh Installation of Egyptian Ptolemaic Art

Head, Ptolemy III (?), Faience

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Head, Ptolemy III (?), Faience
Head, Ptolemy III (?), Faience

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