Undecorated Kohl Jar
Description
Object Label: Kohl Containers Eye makeup has been used for millennia. Ancient Egyptian men and women used a dark substance called kohl as eye makeup for nearly four thousand years, from the Predynastic Period until the Roman occupation in the fourth century c.e. Kohl emphasized the eyes, reduced sun glare, and repelled flies. The common presence of kohl containers in burials indicates that the Egyptians believed these concerns would continue in the afterlife. Caption: Undecorated Kohl Jar, ca. 1539–1292 B.C.E.. Egyptian alabaster, 1 3/8 x 1 3/4 in. (3.5 x 4.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Egypt Exploration Fund, 14.639. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
AI image analysis GPT-4o-2024-08-06
Machine-generated from the object's image on May 2026. Not curatorial; treat deities, names, and signs below as the model's best reading, not authority.
An ancient Egyptian alabaster jar with a wide, flat rim.
The artifact is a small, squat jar made of alabaster, characterized by its simple shape and smooth finish. It features a broad, flat rim and a rounded body. The craftsmanship suggests it was used for holding valuable liquids such as oils or perfumes. The stone exhibits a soft, translucent quality typical of Egyptian alabaster, with a subtle luster. This type of jar is often seen in burial contexts or as part of ceremonial offerings.
Connections
Cross-references (2)
- BKM-Accession 14.639 tier-2
- BKM-Object 3114 tier-2
About this record's data
- From the source institution — accession, description, dimensions, and dating are as catalogued by Brooklyn Museum — Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art.
- 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.