A metalworking servant statue from the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago

Starting point for this study is a small Old Kingdom servant statue from the Museum at the Chicago Oriental Institute Museum (OIM 10631). Elements of the figurine are compared to Old Kingdom tomb scenes at Giza and Saqqara, and fragments of ceramic crucibles from the sites of Tell edh-Dhiba'i, Qau and Serabit el-Khadim. The ceramic crucibles are identified as the metalworkers' most distinctive tool.