Egyptian Alabaster - Striled Alabaster

Alabaster alabaster, small perfume or oil bottle

This small alabaster is an uninscribed (anepigraphic) perfume or oil bottle, elongated and cylindrical in shape, with a narrow neck opening onto a widely flared lip. The body has a regular vertical groove. Two small, subtly marked lateral prominences recall the rudimentary handles present on some similar examples, although their function was probably decorative rather than utilitarian. The circular upper opening, seen in the third image, shows a clean central bore, designed to allow a slow flow of the contents, which is consistent with its use for precious liquids such as perfumed oils.

The object is carved from calcareous alabaster, a fine, translucent rock prized in antiquity for its smooth appearance, relative ease of carving, and translucency under light. This is most likely Egyptian alabaster (calcium carbonate), often used from the 3rd millennium BC for the manufacture of luxury tableware, vases, and flasks. Its natural color varies from creamy white to golden beige, as this example shows, sometimes with darker veins. Alabaster offered a precious finish, evoking luxury and purity, ideal for containing refined substances such as perfumed oils, ointments, or balms.

Alabaster served primarily as a container for perfumed oils or ointments, in both everyday and ritual contexts. Its use is well documented in Greek, Egyptian, Roman, and Eastern cultures. In everyday life, it could be used by men and women for body care, often in gymnasiums, baths, or before banquets. In a funerary context, it was sometimes placed in tombs, along with other toiletries or personal items, to accompany the deceased. In the cult context, it could be offered in sanctuaries or used during ritual anointings.