Libation vessel. Ancient Egypt, Late Period - Ptolemaic Period, 664 - 30 a.C. Alabaster - calcite 8 cm height Condition: Very good, intact, original state, see photos. PROVENANCE: Private collection, France, 1980s. The stone libation vessels made by the ancient Egyptians are an exceptional testimony to the ritual importance of water, perfumed oils, and other sacred liquids within their religious worldview. Crafted from materials such as calcite alabaster, granite, diorite, or quartzite, these vessels combined ceremonial functionality with a refined aesthetic that reflected the high status of those who used them. Their production required remarkable technical skill: craftsmen drilled and polished the stone with abrasive tools, achieving thin walls and perfectly polished surfaces that highlighted the natural beauty of the material. These vessels were used in temples, tombs, and domestic rituals to offer libations to the gods, purify sacred spaces, or accompany the deceased on their journey to the afterlife. In many cases, they featured hieroglyphic inscriptions with offering formulas, names of rulers, or religious dedications that reinforced their symbolic nature. Their presence in grave goods underscores the belief that libations maintained the vitality of the deceased's ka. More than simple containers, libation vessels represented a link between the human and divine worlds, expressing the devotion, magic, and technological sophistication of ancient Egypt through the hardness and permanence of stone.