Walters Art Museum (Egyptian) · jewelry
Tilapia Fish
Description
<p>Fish were not only a major staple in the diet of the ancient Egyptians, but many species were also related to gods. This exceptional fish pendant depicts a "Tilapia nilotica," a common species in the Nile. It was appreciated for its taste, and was also regarded as a symbol of rebirth and resurrection because it carries its eggs in its mouth and was, therefore, believed to be self-created. Carnelian was very popular in the New Kingdom and was used especially for rings, pendants, and other items of jewelry.</p><p>For the latest information about this object, <cite><a href='https://purl.thewalters.org/art/42.196' rel='external'>Tilapia Fish</a></cite>, visit the Online Collection of the Walters Art Museum.</p>
Cross-references (2)
- Walters-AccNum 42.196 tier-2
- Walters-id 15392 tier-2
About this record's data
- From the source institution — accession, description, dimensions, and dating are as catalogued by Walters Art Museum (Egyptian).
- 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.