Papyrus burnisher

Unknown

ca. 1800–1500 B.C. or later · Wood · Egyptian Art

Ancient Egyptian scribes used burnishers to smooth the uneven surfaces of fresh sheets of papyrus. The sheets became shinier and absorbed less ink, which allowed the text to stand out more legibly.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1800–1500 B.C. or later

Medium

Wood

Department

Egyptian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1915