Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

Figurines of nude females are known from most periods of Pharaonic Egyptian history and occur in a variety of contexts. Female figurines were fashioned from clay, faience, ivory, stone, and wood. A generic Egyptian term for “female figurine” is rpyt; terms specifically for clay figurines include sjn (n Ast), rpyt nt sjnt, and rpyt Ast. Formerly interpreted largely as “concubine” figures, female figurines are now regarded as components of magico-medical rites to protect and heal.