It is interesting to note that the ancient Egyptians
were crafting stone vessels long before they were
creating statues in stone. This observation is
reinforced by the fact that the ancient Egyptian
hieroglyphic word for “stone sculptor” employs
the tool used by these early craftsmen for the
fashioning of stone vessels as its ideogram.
Such vessels are usually found in tombs, but
their purpose is to assure the permanence of the
ka, or spirit, of the deceased eternally in the
Hereafter because such permanence is linked to
stone, one of the most enduring of materials
used by the ancient Egyptians. It is for this
reason that pyramid chambers of pharaohs of the
period contain so many examples of stone
vessels. The excavations of the Step Pyramid of
Pharaoh Djoser at Saqqara yielded almost 40,000
stone objects, most of which were vessels.
In addition to insuring permanence, such vessels
held precious unguents and ointments for which
the ancient Egyptians were famous. Many of
these cosmetics resonate with contemporary
concerns addressed by aromatherapy. As such
vessels of this type continually commemorate the
ancient Egyptian achievements in all fields of
human endeavor.
Beautifully carved and with elegant lines, this
granite vase must have held rare ointments or
oils in the tomb of some ancient person of
prominence. Since the earliest predynastic times,
the nobility of Egypt had favored vessels carved
from stone. The simplicity of this piece gives it a
timeless appeal. We delight in its pure form, as
its original owner no doubt did many millennia
ago.
