An Egyptian Conical Alabaster Vessel, Old Kingdom, ca. 2649 – 2150 BCE

Carved from creamy, softly translucent alabaster, this elegant miniature vessel belongs to the well-established tradition of stone vessel production that flourished during Egypt’s Old Kingdom. The slender form has a wide circular mouth with a slightly flaring rim and an elongated body that tapers gradually to a narrow, rounded-pointed base. The vessel’s diminutive size suggests that it was intended for a small quantity of a valued substance, most likely in a ritual or funerary context.

Miniature stone vessels were included among tomb equipment and could serve as offerings or symbolic provisions for the deceased. Despite its small scale, the vessel is carefully hollowed and finished, reflecting the accomplished stone-working techniques for which Old Kingdom Egyptian craftsmen are renowned.

A related conical stone vessel is illustrated in W. M. F. Petrie, The Funeral Furniture of Egypt: Stone and Metal Vases, Wiltshire: Aris & Phillips Ltd., 1937, pl. XXVII. 

Medium: Alabaster

Dimensions: Height: 4 1/2 inches (11.5 cm)

Condition: Small chip to the rim, with minor surface wear and deposits consistent with age. Otherwise intact and in very good condition overall.

Provenance: John N. Winnie, Jr. private collection, Georgia, acquired in the 1980s-90s, private Connecticut collection, thereafter private NYC collection.

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