Conical Gaming Piece from Neferkhawet's Tomb
A family tomb, established by a man named Neferkhawet, was excavated by the Egyptian Expedition of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1935. One of the last people buried in the tomb was a woman whose name was not recorded on any of the objects in the tomb. Inside her wooden coffin was a set of ten gaming pieces, five conical like this one and five spool-shaped. These would have been used to play the games senet and 20-squares. No trace of an accompanying game box was recorded by the excavators. The coffin itself was badly damaged by rot and insects, so remains of a wooden game box may have been indistinguishable from the coffin.
The five conical game pieces are quite uniform in shape, size, and color. Four of the spool-shaped pieces are also quite similar, but the fifth is different enough that it may have been a replacement piece.
The five conical game pieces are quite uniform in shape, size, and color. Four of the spool-shaped pieces are also quite similar, but the fifth is different enough that it may have been a replacement piece.
Artwork Details
- Title: Conical Gaming Piece from Neferkhawet's Tomb
- Period: New Kingdom
- Dynasty: Dynasty 18, early
- Reign: reign of Thutmose I–early sole Thutmose III
- Date: ca. 1504–1447 B.C.
- Geography: From Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Asasif, Tomb of Neferkhawet (MMA 729), east chamber, Burial VIII, inside coffin, MMA excavations, 1934–35
- Medium: Faience
- Dimensions: H. 2.6 cm (1 in.); Diam. 1.8 cm (11/16 in.)
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1935
- Object Number: 35.3.13
- Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art
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ca. 1390–1352 B.C.
ca. 1479–1425 B.C.
ca. 1336–1327 B.C.
ca. 1336–1327 B.C.
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