Hippopotamus

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hippopotami were associated with life, regeneration, and rebirth. When placed in tombs they were meant to supply the deceased with general regenerative power and to guarantee his or her rebirth. Hippopotamus statuettes made out of faience (a non-clay ceramic material) occur in four different positions: standing, walking, seated, and reclining. The faience glaze of this piece has discolored over time.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.

Metropolitan Museum of Art