Length: 12.700 cm
Henry Salt Collection
Ancient Egypt and Sudan
Bronze mirror decorated with two falcons
Middle Kingdom (about 2040-1750 BC)
A reflection of the sun-god Re?
The form of the ancient Egyptian mirror changed
little from its first appearance in the Old Kingdom (about
2613-2160 BC) and consisted of a polished disc of bronze or copper,
attached to a handle. The reflective surface was interpreted as the
sun disc, because of its shape and shiny qualities. The falcons on
this example might represent the sun-god
handle of the mirror was of wood, metal or ivory. This example has
been made to appear as if it has been plaited. A papyrus stalk, or
the figure of
The same theme can be seen in the handles in the form of nude female figures. They sometimes have their arms outstretched to hold the crosspiece below the disc. Adults were seldom shown without clothes, as this could be interpreted as a lack of status. One exception was dancers, whose erotic dances in tomb scenes, like the figures on the mirrors, were associated with rebirth in the Afterlife.