Horseshoe-shaped offering plate

Horseshoe-shaped offering plate

Date
Middle Kingdom
2040-1640 BC
Dimensions
Height: 150mm
Width: 130mm
Medium
Terracotta
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Horseshoe-shaped offering plate with a thick handle provided with a drain hole. Substitutes of grave offerings in the form of fish, meat and bread are depicted in relief on the surface.

Offering plates belong to a group of objects included in the tomb equipment. They were found in the tombs of poorer social classes and were used for cultic libations. The oldest specimens imitate stone, rectangular offering tables, and later on, take on a circular or horseshoe form. The ritual trays contained clay models of pieces of meat, loaves of bread, or water jugs.

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