Vase with Names of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye

Royalty of the 18th Dynasty commissioned luxury goods in glazed faience and glass. Vessels bearing royal names could have been reserved for royal use or given as gifts to worthy subjects or visitors to the court. This vase contains the names of King Amenophis (Amenhotep) III and Queen Tiye.

This small vase was once a part of the MacGregor collection. The vessel's shape imitates a bag or a sack. It was a popular shape during the 18th Dynasty in pottery, stone, painted wood (to imitate stone), as well as faience. The bottom of the vessel is flat allowing it to stand freely on a flat surface. The flat top of the vessel could have originally been closed by a similarly shaped flat lid, as is seen in many examples dating to the 18th Dynasty.

The faience most probably incorporates cobalt mixed with copper for the rich, dark-blue color. Before the 18th Dynasty, blue was produced with copper, however, during the 18th Dynasty cobalt mixed with copper was introduced. Cobalt is not attributable to any region or site from the time of Amenophis (Amenhotep) III.

The vessel shows a dark residue on the inside. Although chemical analysis has not yet been performed to determine what kind of substance the vessel contained, it is possible that it originally contained some kind of expensive cosmetic, possibly kohl, oil, or perfume.

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Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Rev. William MacGregor, Tamworth, Staffordshire, by 1922; Sale, Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, London, June 26-29 and July 4-6, 1922, no. 272; Dikran Kelekian, Paris and New York, 1922, by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1923, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.