Ancient Egypt, Cosmetic and offering jar in granite, with its lid. - 7.8 cm

Amazing and rare granite vase retains its lid, along to its rounded body, as if the preparation of its contents had just been interrupted. The compact shape, narrow neck, and tight-fitting lid respond to a practical need: to store and protect valuable substances. The granite, with its mottled surface and natural contrasts, lends the piece a sober and solid presence. In contrast to the fragility of the ointments and oils it may have contained, the stone offers a sense of permanence that connects daily care with the idea of ​​continuity after death.

The label identifies it as a cosmetic container intended for offerings. In ancient Egypt, perfumed oils, ointments, and preparations for body care held an important place in daily life and funerary practices. A vessel like this could hold these substances for personal hygiene, ritual preparation, or as part of the grave goods placed with the deceased. Although the original contents are unknown, its scale and lid suggest an object designed to safeguard something that needed to be kept protected and readily available.

Granite demands meticulous work to transform a hard mass into a hollow and balanced volume. The stone's irregular surface, visible in the photographs, gives each face a distinct combination of tones and grains. The lid, separated from the vessel in its current arrangement, allows one to appreciate the relationship between the two parts and recalls the simple gesture of opening and closing the container. Utility and visual quality coexist in a form devoid of added decoration, where the material and proportion command all attention.

The piece dates from the New Kingdom, a period of intense artistic activity and extensive political and commercial relations for Egypt. In this context, personal care items could pass from everyday use to the funerary space, accompanying the deceased with goods associated with well-being, beauty, and renewal. The offerings and objects placed in the tomb reflected the expectation that the needs of life would continue in the afterlife. A closed vessel, in this sense, protected both a specific substance and the possibility of having access to it in another existence.

This vessel brings together two dimensions of Egyptian material culture: attention to the body and preparation for eternity. Its simple form speaks of a close and intimate function, while the choice of a durable stone and its presence among the offerings broaden its meaning. The lid preserves the idea of ​​contents and care even when we can no longer know what it held. Thus, a small object allows us to glimpse a concept in which the gestures of perfuming oneself, protecting a substance, and accompanying the dead were part of a single continuity between earthly and afterlife.

Acquired from a Spanish private collection, F.C.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 %.

Please note that for far destination (Asia, middle east etc.. ), there will be an additional cost for the shipping.