What does the ceramic hippopotamus William symbolize?
This well-formed statuette of a hippopotamus (popularly called “William”) demonstrates the Egyptian artist’s appreciation for the natural world. It was molded in faience, a ceramic material made of ground quartz.
Who made William the faience hippopotamus?
artist Carl Walters
In the installation William was juxtaposed with a ceramic hippo created about four thousand years later by the American artist Carl Walters and acquired by the American Wing in 2017. You can explore different aspects of his life and story on this page.
What is William the hippo made out of?
This statuette of a hippopotamus (popularly called “William”) was molded in faience, a ceramic material made of ground quartz. Beneath the blue glaze, the body was painted with lotuses.
Why is William the hippo blue?
It was believed that they could help to ensure the rebirth of the deceased, a role that is alluded to in William’s blue glaze and the lotus flowers painted on him. These invoke his natural habitat of the marshes of the Nile, the great river essential to life in ancient Egypt.
What did ancient Egyptians call hippos?
The Hippopotamus (hieroglyph) is Gardiner sign listed no. E25, in the category of mammals. It is used in Egyptian hieroglyphs as a determinative in words designating the animal, in Egyptian as db, and kh3b. The hieroglyph shows the massiveness of the hippo’s body, on its short legs.
What animal is Taweret?
bipedal hippopotamus
The goddess Taweret, portrayed as a bipedal hippopotamus with limbs like those of a feline. Her hand rests on the sa sign, a hieroglyph that means “protection”. Not applicable; Taweret was a household deity worshipped throughout Egypt.
Where is the blue hippo in the Met?
William the Faience Hippopotamus
| Standing Hippopotamus | |
|---|---|
| Year | c. 1961 BC – c. 1878 BC |
| Medium | Egyptian faience |
| Dimensions | 11.2 cm × 7.5 cm × 20 cm (4.4 in × 3.0 in × 7.9 in) |
| Location | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City |
What did the hippo represent in ancient Egypt?
Hippopotami were thus associated with life, regeneration, and rebirth. Depictions of them, such as statuettes (see below) or small seal amulets (10.130. 771), could magically transfer these qualities to their owners. The ancient Egyptians also observed that female hippos fiercely protect their young.
Are hippos extinct in Egypt?
Unfortunately extinct in Egypt today, the hippopotamus population already suffered severely in ancient times, as human expansion restricted their habitat and they began to be hunted. A decline in their numbers continued through history until the last wild hippos were observed in Egypt in the early nineteenth century.
Which god did hippos represent?
1550–1070 B.C.) on, the hippopotamus was connected to the god Seth, and in later times Seth was seen as an evil character. The god Horus was the mythological prototype of the king, and in the myth of Horus and Seth, Horus defeats Seth and ascends the throne they had battled over.
Are hippos in the Nile?
Once common throughout the Nile River system, the hippopotamus is now found only in the swampy Al-Sudd region of South Sudan and farther south. A male hippopotamus is typically about 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) long, 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall, and 3,200 kg (3.5 tons).
What god was the hippo associated with?
The goddess Taweret, portrayed as a bipedal hippopotamus with limbs like those of a feline. Her hand rests on the sa sign, a hieroglyph that means “protection”. Not applicable; Taweret was a household deity worshipped throughout Egypt.
Why was the blue faience hippopotamus so popular?
Blue faience hippopotamus was a popular statuette in Ancient Egyptian art. Ancient Egyptians considered it to have positive traits associated with fertility and rebirth. Also, little hippopotamus statuettes were found among the objects buried in tombs.
What is the name of the hippopotamus in the Metropolitan Museum?
His name is William. Blue Faience Hippopotamus (aka William), ca. 1961–1878 BCE, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA. William is so popular among the visitors of The Met, where he has lived since 1917, that he’s even become the museum’s mascot.
Where did William the Faience Hippopotamus live?
William the Faience Hippopotamus This Egyptian faience hippopotamus from the Middle Kingdom of Egypt was discovered in a shaft associated with the tomb chapel of “The Steward, Senbi” at Meir, Upper Egypt, and dates from c. 1961 – 1878 B.C.
What is the significance of the hippopotamus in Egyptian art?
The hippopotamus was a favorite statuette in Ancient Egyptian art. Over fifty blue faience hippopotamus statuettes can be found in museums and collections across the world, varying in size from about nine to twenty-two centimeters in length. Ancient Egyptians believed them to be associated with fertility and rebirth.