Baboon
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
On View: Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
Many small ivory and faience baboons have been found in Middle Kingdom tombs. Some scholars believe they functioned as gaming pieces. Others argue that because images of baboons often appear on other protective objects, the figures served as eternal guardians of the deceased.
MEDIUM
Ivory
DATES
ca. 1938–1700 B.C.E.
DYNASTY
Dynasty 12 to early Dynasty 13
PERIOD
Middle Kingdom
DIMENSIONS
1 3/4 x 2 7/8 in. (4.4 x 7.4 cm) (show scale)
COLLECTIONS
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
ACCESSION NUMBER
36.121
CREDIT LINE
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
PROVENANCE
Archaeological provenance not yet documented; by 1936, acquired by Garrett Chatfield Pier of Connecticut; March 6, 1936, purchased at the Anderson Galleries, New York, NY, “The Garrett Chatfield Pier Collection of Egyptian Antiquities,” lot 68, by the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is on view in Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
CAPTION
Baboon, ca. 1938–1700 B.C.E. Ivory, 1 3/4 x 2 7/8 in. (4.4 x 7.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 36.121. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.36.121_erg2.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, CUR.36.121_erg2.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 11/26/2007
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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