Reflections in Time: investigating the social role of mirrors in Ancient Egypt through metallurgical analysis

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Although recent papers have begun building a compositional database of Egyptian metal artefacts (9-11), these have been limited to strictly utilitarian objects (i.e. bowl, razor, chisel) without the symbolic loading of mirrors. My project will focus on Egyptian mirrors originating in UK collections. I will analyse provenanced mirrors that span the Pharaonic period from various locations throughout Egypt, focusing particularly on diachronic differences at individual sites and differences between contemporary sites in different locations. I will apply a novel minimally destructive sampling method, in order to reconstruct their original colour and manufacturing techniques and explore changes in composition and what insights such changes may provide regarding technical skill, production cost, functionality, and their social significance.