Ancient Egyptian beaded wall covering from Dandara dated 332 – 30 BC

Wall covering made from rows of faience ring beads of the same size. The beads are currently set into a background of fat or wax, which is backed by sugar paper. The wax or paper was possibly fixed in place at the dig or shortly after to hold the hanging. Originally the beads seem to have been threaded together. The beads are white, red, green, yellow and blue. They are arranged into geometric pattern bands, some with squares, others of a herring bone design. The designs are similar to the kind of geometrics painted on Theban tomb ceilings and also probably to fabrics of this period. The piece is dirty, and the wax and paper is coming away, releasing the beads as it does so. In need of restoration and careful handling. A of pieces that have already come away is with the hanging. Possibly also used to cover a body.

Ancient Egyptian beaded wall covering from Dandara dated 332 – 30 BC

Object details

  • Reference: BOLMG:1898.56.50
  • Material: faience
  • Culture: Macedonian Dynasty - Ptolemaic Dynasty
  • Period: Ptolemaic Period
  • Excavator: W.M.F. Petrie
  • Dated: 332 - 30 BC
  • Object name: beaded wall covering
  • Dimensions: Length: 468mm , Width: 280mm , Depth (including wax): 7mm , Diameter (beads, min.): 4mm , Diameter (beads, max.): 5mm
  • Published references: Petrie W M F Dendereh 1898 pp.32-33 p.66 pl.XXXVI ?
  • Site: Dandara
  • Latitude: 26.16627
  • Longitude: 32.661584