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The papyrus reed which grows in the Nile marshes of Egypt was used by ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans to form a type of paper by laying thin strips over each other and pressing them. If the manuscript was of any length, a number of papyrus sheets were attached to form a long roll., Thebes, Ptolemaic Period.

Figure

Antiquities

D13.37

Three gods in one. The figure represents three gods in one: Ptah - the creator of the world; Socharis (or Seker) - the god of death or the under world; Osiris (or Asar) - the god through whom all people obtained life in the underworld. This wooden figure was originally gilded. The stand was hollowed out to contain a prayer written on a piece of papyrus. In a hole on the figure was placed a small portion of the deceased's body. So long as this body portion remained intact the body lying in the tomb would be assured of everlasting life. The figure was placed in the tomb with the coffin.

Ring

Antiquities

E34.106

Eye of the God Horus

Pestle

Antiquities

E24.58

Figure, Animal

Antiquities

E33.129

Vase

Antiquities

D13.49

Badarian Pottery from the Badari site is a distinctive black-topped ware made of clay mixed with sand. The outside was coated with a polished layer of haematite. The pots were then placed mouth downward into the embers of the fire resulting in a shiny black surface at the lip.

Key

Antiquities

E30.130

Pot

Antiquities

E24.19

Pot

Antiquities

E24.11

Textileworking T&E, Cloth Fragment

Ethnographic Costume and Textiles

F46.117

Border from the neck edge of the garment. Frieze of vine leaves with fragmentary heads., Sixth to Seventh Century A.D., Warp: natural linen, 16 tripled per cm, Weft: natural linen, dyed wool, 54 per cm., Woven tapestry with supplementary weft, plaiting, plain weave with weft ribbing.

Arrowhead

Antiquities

E30.137

Vase

Antiquities

F82.204

Pot

Antiquities

E24.60

Lid, Jar, Canopic

Antiquities

D13.33

Carving

Antiquities

E36.1

Limestone relief depicting a shaven-headed, bowing priest.Priests in Egypt did not preach and had no parishioners to instruct. A priest's duty was to serve the god who dwelt in the temple statue. To be pure, a priest had to make his ablutions twice daily and twice during the night. He was completely shaven, shorn and plucked. Priests acquired a great deal of power in Egyptian society through their managing the lands of the god and their revenues.

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Amulet

Papyrus

Figure

Ring

Pestle

Figure, Animal

Vase

Key

Pot

Pot

Textileworking T&E, Cloth Fragment

Arrowhead

Vase

Pot

Lid, Jar, Canopic

Carving

Pot

Amulet

Pot

Figure