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Tile Decorated with a Cow's Head

New Kingdom, Ramesside
ca. 1290–1224 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 124
This tile once decorated the palace of Ramesses II in Piramesse, which he made into one of the greatest royal cities of ancient Egypt. Thanks to the royal favor and its strategic location, Piramesse soon became an important international trade center and a cosmopolitan metropolis, boasting a harbor, a military base, and temples dedicated to various gods like Amun-Re-Harakhty-Atum, Seth, Astarte, etc. Poems were written in the city's praise, and its name, which translates as "The House of Ramesses, Beloved of Amun, Great of Victories" when fully written, came to us through the Old Testament as ‘Raamses.’

The tiles bear the names of Seti I, Ramesses II and later Ramesside kings, who renovated the palace and changed its decoration through the reigns. New tiles were made, and the old tiles may be have been dismantled and buried together. Based on the tiles, we can still reconstruct quite a number of the features of the palace that are now completely lost, including throne podiums, steps, windows of appearance, and faience sculptures.

This rectangular inlay tile represents a cow cradling a rosette between her horns. This motif is known from another palace--that of Amenhotep III in Malqata, where similar cows decorate the palace's ceiling (see 11.215.451)

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Tile Decorated with a Cow's Head
  • Period: New Kingdom, Ramesside
  • Dynasty: Dynasty 19
  • Reign: reign of Ramesses II
  • Date: ca. 1290–1224 BCE
  • Geography: Probably from private apartments; From Egypt, Eastern Delta, Qantir (Piramesse), Palace of Ramesses II
  • Medium: Faience, paint
  • Dimensions: H. 12.5 cm (4 15/16 in.); W. 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Nicholas Tano, 1927
  • Object Number: 27.5
  • Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

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