<em>Right Eye from an Anthropoid Coffin</em>, 1539–30 B.C.E. Obsidian, crystalline limestone, glass, 13/16 x 2 5/16 x 1 in. (2.1 x 5.8 x 2.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.1951E. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 37.1951E_view1_PS2.jpg)

Right Eye from an Anthropoid Coffin, 1539–30 B.C.E. Obsidian, crystalline limestone, glass, 13/16 x 2 5/16 x 1 in. (2.1 x 5.8 x 2.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.1951E. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 37.1951E_view1_PS2.jpg)

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Ancient Egyptians are usually depicted with black eyeliner. Did they also use blue eyeliner?

No, I don't believe so. This eye was used as a coffin inlay.

In ancient Egypt, there was no separate word for blue so dark blue could be interchangeable with black. In some cases, the use of blue was just a more expensive way to show what we call blue. The blue glass used here is imitating lapis lazuli.

Interesting, thanks Rachel!

Tell me more.

This eye would have been inlaid in the face of a human shaped coffin. It is made of obsidian, limestone, and blue glass.

To see one these actually in a coffin, head up to the third floor. The cartonnage of Nespanetjerenpere has beautifully blue line inlaid glass eyes like these.

In his case however, the blue stone is lapis lazuli, a beautiful blue stone that was incredibly valuable in the ancient world.

What do they mean by “anthropoid coffin”?

The word "anthropoid" simply means person-shaped. In this case, it means that the coffin this eye would have been inlaid in was shaped like a body rather than, say, a rectangle.

Got it! Thanks

You're welcome! We have an anthropoid coffin on view on the third floor, check A Woman's Afterlife for the coffin of Bensuipet!

How did the museum acquire this?

This eye inlay came to this museum from the New York Historical Society when we acquired their collection of antiquities after they felt they could no longer house it.

Right Eye from an Anthropoid Coffin

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

MEDIUM Obsidian, crystalline limestone, glass

Place Made: Egypt

DATES 1539–30 B.C.E.

PERIOD New Kingdom or later

DIMENSIONS 13/16 x 2 5/16 x 1 in. (2.1 x 5.8 x 2.6 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 37.1951E

CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Right Eye from an Anthropoid Coffin, 1539–30 B.C.E. Obsidian, crystalline limestone, glass, 13/16 x 2 5/16 x 1 in. (2.1 x 5.8 x 2.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.1951E. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 37.1951E_view1_PS2.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 37.1951E_view1_PS2.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2009

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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