Ancient Egyptian decorative gorgon head from Naukratis dated 332 – 30 BC

Roughly circular brown pottery face, with raised modelled features and a concave back. Face of a young male or female, with finely chiselled features and stylised wavy hair, falling to chin length. Above the centre of the forehead is an M shape to the hair, perhaps a vestige of the knot of snakes depicted on Medusa’s images. Patches of surface paint remain, possibly in white, red and blue. Possibly used to embelish a wooden coffin. Several cracks can be seen from the back of the piece, perhaps going all the way through. This piece may have been conserved.

Ancient Egyptian decorative gorgon head from Naukratis dated 332 – 30 BC

Object details

  • Latitude: 30.901111
  • Longitude: 30.5925