| Ancient Egypt and Archaeology Web Site |
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Razor/cosmetic
tool
made
from
Copper
alloy,
from
Kerma's
Eastern
Cemetery
(Kerma
Classique
period,
1750-1500
BC)
This small tool was deposited in the ground in a chapel erected on the north-west side of a tomb dated to the beginning of the Kerma Classique period. It has two detachable elements fixed by a rivet and offers the user a sharp convex edge, tweezers and a sharp point. Until now only five examples have been found at Kerma, one in a Kerma Moyen (2050-1750 BC) context. These pieces were probably imported from Egypt where they are found in abundance. Although their exact use has yet to be determined - whether razor, tweezers, scissors, curling iron, scraper, or surgical clamp - they are generally considered to be personal hygiene tools, often associated with other instruments of this category. In the Kerma Moyen tomb, the tool was placed in a bag next to a big razor which had been put in a wooden case. |