Ancient Egyptian label fragment from Abydos dated 3000 – 2890 BC

Small ivory label fragment, with incised text, early hieroglphs. Three symbols visble, one under the other. What could be the first symbol may have part missing, similar to a htm seal, or nw pot, depending on which way up you read it, more likely to be the which would make it the last symbol in the sequence. Middle symbol is two strokes, later representing the dual. Third symbol, to which the two strokes are probably related, is partially destroyed, but what is left is the bottom half of two circles.

Ancient Egyptian label fragment from Abydos dated 3000 – 2890 BC

Object details

  • Reference: BOLMG:1909.76.15.1
  • Material: hippo ivory
  • Culture: Dynasty 1
  • Period: Early Dynastic Period
  • Excavator: E. Naville
  • Dated: 3000 - 2890 BC
  • Object name: label fragment
  • Dimensions: Length (widest point): 23mm , Width (widest point): 22mm , Depth: 4mm
  • Published references: Naville E Cemeteries of Abydos 1 1914 pp 35 - 36
  • Site: Abydos
  • Latitude: 26.185
  • Longitude: 31.918889