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"Pan Grave" Necklace

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

Archaeologists working in Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia continue to discover shallow, round graves with concave bottoms. These so-called pan graves often contain simple jewelry such as the necklaces displayed here, non-Egyptian pottery, and large numbers of weapons. The people buried in "pan graves" were probably the Medjay, nomads from the eastern Nubian desert who served in the Egyptian army as scouts and light infantry during the wars of liberation against the Hyksos.

MEDIUM Ivory, quartz (?)
  • Place Excavated: Hu (Diospolis Parva), Egypt
  • DATES ca. 1630–1539 B.C.E.
    DYNASTY Dynasty 17
    PERIOD Second Intermediate Period
    DIMENSIONS Length: 9 1/8 in. (23.1 cm)  (show scale)
    ACCESSION NUMBER 02.242
    CREDIT LINE Gift of the Egypt Exploration Fund
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION "Pan Grave" Necklace, ca. 1630–1539 B.C.E. Ivory, quartz (?), Length: 9 1/8 in. (23.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Egypt Exploration Fund, 02.242. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.02.242_erg2.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, CUR.02.242_erg2.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 8/7/2007
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