Hes-Vase with Cover
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Object Label
Ritual vessels known as hes-vases were commonly used in temple rituals of purification and in libations, or liquid offerings, which the priest poured to the gods. Their shape resembles the hieroglyph hes, which can mean “to favor” or “to praise.”
Caption
Hes-Vase with Cover, ca. 1350–1295 B.C.E.. Faience, 8 1/16 x Diam. 2 3/16 in. (20.5 x 5.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 48.55a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 48.55a-b_SL1.jpg)
Title
Hes-Vase with Cover
Date
ca. 1350–1295 B.C.E.
Dynasty
late Dynasty 18
Period
New Kingdom
Geography
Place made: Thebes, Egypt
Medium
Faience
Classification
Dimensions
8 1/16 x Diam. 2 3/16 in. (20.5 x 5.6 cm)
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
48.55a-b
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
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Frequent Art Questions
Wow. How did the vase get this rich blue color?
That is made of a really interesting material called faience, considered by Egyptologists as the first high-tech ceramic. The material is made of pure ground quartz, which has a dazzling, white look to it, which is why the ancient Egyptians called it tjehenet (dazzling). The quartz would have several other ingredients added to it; a small part of lime or calcium oxide and soda, all found in the rich desert sands and quarries in their landscape. These ingredients were either added to it before firing in the kiln, so that the beautiful blue would rise to the surface, or it would be put in a vessel of this powder so it would be coated from the outside while fired. Faience is glazed in many different shades of green and blue, which you'll see throughout the galleries.Tell me more.
This is made of a really interesting, man-made material called faience. It was often used as an affordable imitation of precious stones like lapis lazuli and turquoise. The shape of the vessel is the same as the hieroglyph "hes" suggesting that it was for liquid offerings.What is this made of?
It's a material called faience which is a quartz-based paste that has been molded and fired at a high temperature.The bright and shiny surface treatment seen on this vessel is a result of glazing. The glaze was made of a form of powdered glass mixed with a liquid and applied either with a brush or by dipping the entire figurine. The very common bright blue color uses a copper oxide based pigment.
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