An Egyptian Blue Glazed Faience Pyramid Tile, Old Kingdom, time of King Djoser, ca. 2668 - 2649 BCE

This tile of pale blue glazed faience in the shape of a slightly convex rectangle, thicker in the center and tapering towards the edges. The back of the tile also has white deposits, indicating the presence of some form of gesso or similar binding agent.  Faience tiles were manufactured in bulk and used as surface decoration, a famous example being Djoser’s Third Dynasty Step Pyramid at Saqqara, which is decorated with an enormous number of faience tiles. For related examples see: Gifts of the Nile, ed. Florence Dunn Friedman, Museum of Art Rhode Island School of Design 1998, Plates 14 - 19, pg. 32 Medium: Faience Dimensions: Length: 2 3/8 inches (6 cm), Width: 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) Condition: Chips and minor loss to the top edge that does not detract, loss to the central back where originally attached. Otherwise intact and in very good condition overall. Presented on a museum quality custom mount. Provenance: Private Dutch collection, assembled during 1970s - 1980s, thereafter with Pa