Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Female Leonine Figurine Holding Snakes
Middle Kingdom
Not on view
The copper twisted cobra staff in the case to the left and the female figurine with leonine ears were found at the bottom of a tomb shaft with other magical objects, including an apotropaic rod segment and papyri inscribed with ritual birthing chants as well as other texts. It has been suggested the tomb belonged to a nurse or magician, but these objects simply demonstrate the importance of rebirth in the concept of the afterlife.
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