Menat fragment, Psamtik I or II

AI image analysis GPT-5.4-nano

Machine-generated from the object's image on Jul 2026. Not curatorial; treat deities, names, and signs below as the model's best reading, not authority.

Fragment of an Egyptian menat counterweight with surviving register(s) of molded decoration under a green glaze.

The object is a broken, irregular fragment with a flat back and a raised, rectangular decorative panel on the front. The panel contains vertically arranged molded motifs resembling hieroglyphic or symbolic elements, including a broad central cartouche-like oval with internal vertical and horizontal strokes and, above it, a paired/stacked sign-like element. The outer surfaces show a green turquoise glaze consistent with glazed limestone; chips and losses expose pale stone at edges. There is no clearly legible Greek, Coptic, or Arabic text in the image. A small red/orange inventory-style number is visible near the lower right edge, but the digits are too unclear to reliably transcribe. No explicit royal cartouche name “Psamtik I or II” is fully readable from the fragment, so identification of the king is not confirmed by visible inscriptions.