A jewelry element in the form of an inlaid bee

Period: Middle Kingdom

Date: ca. 1887–1750 BC

Geography: From Egypt, Fayum Entrance Area, Haraga, Cemetery A, Tomb 124

Medium: Silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, and turquoise

Dimensions: L. 2.9 × H. 2.1 × D. 2.3 cm (1 1/8 × 13/16 × 7/8 in.)

Credit Line: Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 2014

Accession Number: 2014.619.6

Description

This ornament depicts a bee sipping at a flower(?). The insect's wings were once positioned as if the bee had just settled. The three dimensional nature of this ornament is unusual as most ancient Egyptian jewelry was flat or created from flat pieces. Is seems likely that this accessory was for the hair or an element of an elaborate hair ornment like a diadem.

Link to a blog post
Jewelry from the Haraga Treasure, United at the Met

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