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Metropolitan Museum of Art — Egyptian Art (Open Access) · cosmetic_object

Cosmetic Box of the Royal Butler Kemeni

Source of record: Metropolitan Museum of Art — Egyptian Art (Open Access) — catalogued by the holding institution. View the original record →

Description

Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12, possibly slightly after the death of of Amenemhat IV, ca. 1805 B.C. Cedar, with ebony and ivory veneer and silver mounts. L. 28.5 cm (11 1/4 in.); W. 17.7 cm (6 15/16 in.); H. 20.3 cm (8 in.). From: pit tomb CC 25, debris, Asasif, Birabi, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Egypt. Excavation: Carnarvon/Carter excavations, 1910. Credit: Purchase, Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1926.

AI image analysis GPT-5.4-nano

Machine-generated from the object's image on Jul 2026. Not curatorial; treat deities, names, and signs below as the model's best reading, not authority.

An open rectangular cosmetic box (with hinged lid) containing small round jars/containers, shown against a neutral background.

The image shows a dark wooden box with a raised lid that is open, revealing an interior compartment with fitted wooden dividers. On the right interior area are several small circular cosmetic containers/jars (light-colored, likely stone or plaster) arranged in a tray-like recess. The box has large rectangular inlays on both visible long sides, appearing light (possibly ivory or ivory-like veneer) bordered by darker wood/metallic edging. The top frame and overall structure appear carved/joined wood with metal hardware on the front/edge (dark/metal-looking fittings). On the front right drawer/compartment there is a framed panel with faint incised or painted imagery and hieroglyphic-like marks; however, the text is too small/blurred to read clearly in this image. No clearly identifiable cartouche or legible royal name is visible. No deities are depicted in a clearly readable way; the decoration appears to be inscription or label-like marking rather than an iconographic scene.

decorative Middle Kingdom (as per catalogue; image itself does not allow secure period dating) good
Materials dark wood (possibly cedar or similar)light inlay/veneer (ivory-like)metal mounts/hardware (silver-like/grey)stone/plaster-like cosmetic jars (light colored)
Signs unclear hieroglyphic/inset inscription marks (illegible at this resolution)

Connections

Found at Asasif

Cross-references (4)

  • Wikidata-Q Q116378704 tier-1
  • Collection-QID Q160236 tier-2 (wikidata-mediated)
  • Inventory-Number 26.7.1438 tier-2 (wikidata-mediated)
  • MET-Object 543955 tier-2 (wikidata-mediated)
About this record's data
  • From the source institution — accession, description, dimensions, and dating are as catalogued by Metropolitan Museum of Art — Egyptian Art (Open Access).
  • AI-inferred — the image-analysis panel (deities, names, signs) is machine-generated and may be wrong.
  • Approximate location — most map points are plotted at the site centroid, not the exact findspot.
  • Inferred links — cross-references marked with a match method other than explicit-source-field were matched by us, not stated by the source.