Schist or slate
H: 9.56 cm. W: 12.3 cm
Provenance: no indication
Predynastic
Naqada II. Mid 4th millennium B.C. c. 3500-3300 B.C.
Made by chipping, drilling and polishing down using abrasives with water.
Condition: some weathering, ends of feet broken, the centre of the side used slightly worn from grinding the cosmetics. Very thin layer of light-coloured limestone deposit here and there.
Such palettes were for grinding green malachite, a copper ore for eye paint. Other minerals for cosmetic purposes were also ground, such as red ochre, probably used as rouge.
Our guinea fowl has a round hole to enable suspension when not in use.
The type, stylization and simplicity of the shape are indications for the date
