A rare Egyptian Greywacke Bangle, Early Dynastic Period, Dynasty 1-2, ca. 3000 - 2700 BCE

An exceptionally fine and rare early Egyptian bangle, carved from a single piece of fine-grained, dark grey stone, probably greywacke, demonstrating the remarkable skill of Egyptian stoneworkers long before the development of more sophisticated metalworking tools. The bangle has a broad, smoothly finished inner surface and a strongly convex outer face, creating a substantial yet elegantly balanced form. Its highly polished surface accentuates the natural dark coloration of the stone and the elegant simplicity of its design.

Working with relatively rudimentary tools of flint and copper, together with abrasive sand, early Egyptian craftsmen achieved an impressive degree of precision in shaping, hollowing, and polishing hard stone. The production of such an ornament required considerable patience and technical skill, particularly in achieving the uniform curvature and smooth interior without fracturing the stone.

Stone bangles of this early date are uncommon, particularly when preserved intact. A fragmentary bangle excavated from the Early Dynastic royal tombs at Abydos, fashioned from hornblende diorite, provides a particularly close archaeological parallel in both size and form. Such comparisons illustrate the continuity of stoneworking traditions from the Predynastic into the Early Dynastic Period. Distinguished by its restrained form and exceptional preservation, this bangle is a rare surviving example of personal adornment from the formative period of ancient Egyptian civilization.

Medium: Schist

Dimensions: Diameter: 2 1/2 inches (6.3 cm)

Condition: Intact and in excellent condition.

Provenance: Nora Scott (1905 – 1994), Curator of Egyptian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, (retired 1972), and acquired from the Metropolitan Museum of Art by deaccession. Gifted to L. Virginia Burton (1918–2009), Associate Curator of Egyptian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (retired 1977), and then by descent.