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© Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University
ClassificationsAncient Egyptian Art

Earring

CultureEgyptian
PeriodPtolemaic Period
Date4th-3rd Century BCE
MediumGold
Credit LineGift of the Georges Ricard Foundation
Dimensions7/8 x 11/16 in., 3/16 in., 1 g (2.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.4 cm, 1/16 oz.)
Object number2018.010.1088
Label TextEarrings with animal head terminals are the most common type of Ptolemaic/Hellenistic earrings. A circle of twisted or straight gold wire tapers from the bull’s head to a hooked end fastened around a loop below the animal’s chin. The bull was a symbol of strength and fertility throughout the ancient world.
Exhibition HistoryLife and the Afterlife: Ancient Egyptian Art from the Senusret Collection, Michael C. Carlos Museum, February 4 - August 6, 2023
Published ReferencesMelinda K. Hartwig, ed. Life and the Afterlife: Ancient Egyptian Art from the Senusret Collection (Atlanta: Michael C. Carlos Museum, 2023), catalogue entry 8.
ProvenanceEx coll. Georges Ricard Foundation, Santa Barbara, California.
Status
Not on view
Collections
  • Ancient Egyptian, Nubian, and Near Eastern Art