Brown pottery mould used for the manufacture of small faience objects in the shape of mandrake fruits. Finger mark impressions of the maker can be seen on the surface. Compare with W M Flinders Petrie, Tell el-Amarna (London, 1894), plate XIX, no. 455.

At the royal city of Amarna in 1892, Professor W. M. Flinders Petrie discovered thousands of ceramic moulds used to make faience rings, jewellery and amulets. Made from the same raw materials as glass (silica, soda and lime) faience was prepared as a paste and shaped in moulds before firing. Different glazing techniques produced a variety of colours. On this objects the mould cavity is lighter in colour and there are string marks around the design. It also looks like fingerprint impressions around the mould - perhaps the creators before the mould had set? A small hole is also visible in the top left hand corner.

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Brown pottery mould used for the manufacture of small faience objects in the shape of mandrake fruits. Finger mark impressions of the maker can be seen on the surface. Compare with W M Flinders Petrie, Tell el-Amarna (London, 1894), plate XIX, no. 455. At the royal city of Amarna in 1892, Professor W. M. Flinders Petrie discovered thousands of ceramic moulds used to make faience rings, jewellery and amulets. Made from the same raw materials as glass (silica, soda and lime) faience was prepared as a paste and shaped in moulds before firing. Different glazing techniques produced a variety of colours. On this objects the mould cavity is lighter in colour and there are string marks around the design. It also looks like fingerprint impressions around the mould - perhaps the creators before the mould had set? A small hole is also visible in the top left hand corner.

Mould

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