Many of these questions are designed to prompt close looking and critical thinking. Read each artwork’s label to find answers to fact-based questions. Artwork not on view? Don’t worry: There are plenty of others to visit or take a closer look on Mia’s Collections site!
Featured Works, Gallery 250
Ancient Egyptian, False Door, Gallery 250
False door, about 2400 BCE, unknown artist, Ancient Egypt, limestone, on view in Gallery 250 or explore online within Mia’s Collections Site
Question Prompts
• What are hieroglyphs? How were they used?
• What would you like to know about this artwork?
• This tomb was made for a priest named Iryenakhet (pronounced ‘year-ee-en-AH-ket’). His name is written on the door seven times. Find them all!
• What other hieroglyphs do you recognize?
Ancient Egyptian, Broad Collar, Gallery 254
Broad collar, 2040-1783 BCE, unknown artist, Ancient Egypt, Egyptian faience, on view in Gallery 254 or explore online within Mia’s Collections Site
Question Prompts
• Personal items were often left inside tombs, with the belief that the dead would want them in the afterlife.
• What types of items might have been left in a tomb?
• Would you like to wear this collar? Why or why not?
• What animals do you see on the collar?
• What animal would you want to represent you?
Ancient Egyptian, Clappers, Gallery 254
Pair of clappers, about 1550-1292 BCE, unknown artist, Ancient Egypt, hippopotamus ivory, on view in Gallery 254 or explore online within Mia’s Collections Site
Question Prompts
• Do you play a musical instrument?
• What type of noise do you think these clappers made of ivory (hippo tusks!) make?
• Have you ever seen or heard cymbals? See if you can make a similar noise with just your hands.
Ancient Egyptian, Headrest, Gallery 254
Headrest, c. 2635-2155 BCE, unknown artist, Ancient Egypt, hardwood, traces of gesso, on view in Gallery 254 or explore online within Mia’s Collections Site
Question Prompts
• Before reading the labels, look at all three headrests.
• Which one do you think is from Egypt? What do you see that makes you say that?
• How is it the same as the headrests from Ethiopia and Somalia? How is it different?
• What do you sleep on at night?
• This was the Egyptian version of a pillow. It helped to keep sleepers cool at night and their hairdos looking nice. Do you think this would be comfortable? Why or why not?
Ancient Egyptian, Funerary Papyrus
Funerary papyrus, 1070-712 BCE, unknown artist, Ancient Egypt, papyrus. Explore online within Mia’s Collections Site
Question Prompts
• Egyptian pharaohs wore false beards. How many beards do you see?
• There are many animal-headed gods on this funerary papyrus. Which types of animals do you recognize?
• Look closely at the table on the right. What do you think they are eating? What do you see that makes you think so?
• Have you learned about papyrus? What do you know about it?
• This paper is made from the stem of a papyrus plant. Take a close look. How is papyrus different from the paper you use?
Ancient Egyptian, Cartonnage of Lady Tashat, Gallery 250
Cartonnage of Lady Tashat, 945-712 BCE, unknown artist, Ancient Egypt, painted and varnished linen, on view in Gallery 250 or explore online within Mia’s Collections Site
Question Prompts
• Go on a scavenger hunt within Lady Tashat’s mummy case. Be sure to check it out from all angles.
• Find four or more eyes. Where did you find them?
• How many birds do you see?
• Where else do you see wings?
• Where do you see hieroglyphs?
• Name four colors you see. Consider this: these colors all came from natural materials.
• Which gods do you recognize?
Here are a few clues:
Osiris, god of the underworld, has green skin and large crown. Anubis has the head of a jackal. Horus, the sun god, looks like a falcon.
