This small faience ointment jar, dating from the Ptolemaic Period (332–30 BC) of Ancient Egypt, is a remarkable testament to the sophistication and refinement of everyday and ritual practices in that civilisation. Measuring just 5.2 cm in height and featuring an elegant chalice-shaped design, the container is perfectly suited to containing and preserving precious substances such as kohl, a cosmetic widely used by both women and men in Egypt. Made from minerals such as galena and antimony, kohl was applied not only for aesthetic reasons but also for its protective properties against eye infections and its ability to reduce solar glare, making it an essential item in personal and funerary trousseau.The cartouche contains clearly legible symbols corresponding to the royal prenomen "Usermaatre-Setepenre," the throne name of Pharaoh Ramesses II (19th Dynasty). Outside the cartouche, completing the decoration, the royal formula "ˁnḫ wḏꜣ snb"—"life, stability, and health"—is partially preserved, a common epithet accompanying the names of kings and gods from the New Kingdom to the Late Period. Transliteration and Translation Hieroglyphic inscription (reconstructed): 𓋴𓏠𓎛𓂋 𓏏𓊪𓈖𓂋 𓋹 𓊽 𓎼 Transliteration: Wsr-MꜢˁt-Rˁ stp.n-Rˁ — ˁnḫ wḏꜣ snb Translation: “Usermaatre-Setepenre (Ramesses II), endowed with life, stability, and health.” Interpretation The vase belongs to the type of votive or ointment vessels produced in late Egyptian faience workshops, which borrowed the names and formulas of New Kingdom pharaohs, especially Ramesses II, who was the object of hero worship in several Theban and Abydan temples. These pieces were deposited as devotional offerings in sanctuaries or funerary contexts, symbolizing continuity and royal legitimacy. The style of the inscription, the tonality of the glaze, and the pigment application technique allow us to attribute this specimen to an early Ptolemaic production (4th–3rd centuries BC), of an archaic and ceremonial nature. Comparative Bibliography Vandier, J., Egyptian Archaeology Manual, vol. III. Paris, 1958, pp. 637–642. Nicholson, P. & Peltenburg, E., “Egyptian Faience,” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 74 (1988), pp. 55–70. Quirke, S., Titles and Formulae in Egyptian Texts of the Late Period. London, 1990. The vessel, made of faience—a glassy ceramic material with a bluish-green hue very characteristic of Egyptian art—is decorated with incised hieroglyphic inscriptions, possibly pigmented in cobalt blue, as seen in the cartouche visible on its surface. These inscriptions, although requiring specialised épigraphie analysis for their full interpretation, could include votive formulas, names of deities, or even that of the jar's owner. The presence of the cartouche suggests a possible link to a figure of some significance or a ritual invocation, reinforcing the ceremonial or symbolic use of the object. This type of unguent container was common in funerary and Templar contexts, where cosmetics and perfumes played a central role both in daily life and in purification and embalming rituals. The vessel's preservation is remarkable, including its original lid—also made of faience—and its contents, which appear to still retain a solid trace of dark kohl, visible in the images. This not only adds archaeological and material value to the collection, but also allows us to reconstruct aspects of daily life and cosmetic practices in Egypt. From an artistic perspective, the use of faience and the manufacture of this object are part of a technical tradition dating back to the Old Kingdom, although a trend toward greater formal and stylistic standardisation is observed in the Ptolemaic Period. However, the quality of this specimen, along with the integrity of its inscriptions and the preservation of its contents, place it among the most complete and representative pieces of its type. Comparable pieces are found in collections such as the British Museum and the Louvre, where similar unguentaries found in Ptolemaic tombs are documented, often associated with female or priestly grave goods. There are also parallels in the funerary assemblages of the Serapeum at Saqqara, where the use of kohl was linked to rituals of protection and renewal. Acquired from a Spanish private collection, J.P.B in the 80's. -The piece includes an authenticity certificate. The Seller can prove that the lot was obtained legally. Important information. The seller guarantees that he is entitled to ship this lot. The seller will take care that any necessary permits will be arranged, this process can take between 2 and 4 weeks. IMPORTANT: Due to the new laws on the export of archaeological pieces, we have decided to NO LONGER sell outside the European territory for the following countries: SWITZERLAND & UNITED STATES of AMERICA. For other destinations out of European territory: all our items will be shipped after obtaining a definitive LICENSE EXPORTATION by the Ministry of Culture of Spain. We inform our clients that it may take between 4-8 weeks. According to Spanish legislation, items sent outside the European Union are subjected to export taxes. The taxes will be added to the invoice, at the buyer's expense. These export fees are fixed on the final auction price, and the tax rate is not applied directly to the total value of the item to be exported, but rather the different percentages by sections are applied to it: Up to 6,000 euros: 5%. / From 6.001 to 60.000 euros: 10 %.