Ancient Egyptian mud ball from Amarna dated 1550 – 1295 BC

A rougly modelled clay ball possibly containing human hair, with eight seal impressions from the same seal on the exterior surface, and many finger prints. The seal design is oval, and contains a four looped cross, with intermediate curliques, has at its top and bottom two ‘ti’ hieroglyphs, either side of what may be a ‘htm’, seal, hieroglyph. The bottom ‘ti’etc is inverted, so that it mirrors the top.

Object details

  • Reference: BOLMG:1924.30.24
  • Material: mud
  • Culture: Dynasty 18
  • Period: New Kingdom
  • Dated: 1550 - 1295 BC
  • Object name: mud ball
  • Dimensions: Length: 46mm , Width: 44mm , Depth: 43mm
  • Published references: Petrie W M F Buttons and Design Scarabs 1925 ( pl IX no 368 ) T Hardwick in AkhĂ©naton et NĂ©fertiti Soleil et ombres des pharaons ( exhibition catalogue Geneva 2008 ) p 244 cat 163 - In Italian only, thanks Tom!
  • Site: Amarna
  • Latitude: 27.645197
  • Longitude: 30.896483