THIRD INTERMEDIATE PERIOD, 21ST-22ND DYNASTY, 1069-715 B.C.

‘Egyptian blue’ is a type of frit made from a combination of sand, lime, an alkali (such as potash or natron) and a copper compound, which was used as pigment when ground or as a material to make statuary (see p. 196 in W.C. Haynes, Scepter of Egypt II: A Background for the Study of the Egyptian Antiquities). This is an especially large example of a sculpture in this material, according to Page-Gasser and Weise (op. cit.). Further, they add “the choice of this precious material, the fine craftsmanship, and the additional embellishments with gold inlays and separately crafted elements suggest that this remarkable statuette was produced in a royal workshop."