Kohl Jar with Lid
Middle Kingdom-early New Kingdom, Dynasty 12-early Dynasty 18, about 1985-1479 BCE
Travertine (Egyptian alabaster)
4.1 × 4.1 cm (1.6 × 1.6 in)
SEE IT IN PERSON
● On view now — Gallery 50
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · verified July 2026
Discussion
FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
This small container was designed to hold kohl, a cosmetic eye paint made of ground galena or malachite. Ancient Egyptian men and women wore kohl for its aesthetic appeal but also to dampen the harsh sunlight of North Africa and possibly even for medicinal purposes. Containers like this were buried with their owners for continued use in the afterlife.
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