Palette in the Form of a Turtle

Description

Stone palettes were used for grinding eyepaint worn by men and women alike for cosmetic purposes and to protect against sun glare and eye infections. There were two types of eyepaint: green, made from malachite (copper ore), and black, made from galena (lead ore). Small quantities of ore are sometimes found in graves alongside the palettes.

Provenance

Purchased from Alkis Matheos, Uraeus Gallery, Paris

Palette in the Form of a Turtle

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c. 3500–3050 BCE

Accession Number

1989.47

Medium

graywacke

Dimensions

Overall: 7.8 cm (3 1/16 in.)

Classification

Implements

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund