HANDPRINT FROM 4000 YEARS AGO DISCOVERED ON ANCIENT CLAY ARTEFACT

An ancient Egyptian clay artefact has been found to have a handprint that dates back 4,000 years, providing a concrete window into the life of individuals from a long time ago. Researchers at Cambridge University's Fitzwilliam Museum found the symbol, which includes clear indentations of the palm and fingers, on the base of a clay "soul home," a handcrafted copy of a structure frequently used in tombs to store food offerings.

Examiners at the Fitzwilliam Museum think the handprint might have been created when an ancient Egyptian potter moved the spirit house while it was still wet. The soul home was built between 2055 and 1650 BCE. In order to construct a two-story building supported by pillars, the creator most likely began by constructing a framework out of wooden sticks and then covered it with clay. The wet clay was simply pinched to make the staircases. Hollow areas were left inside after the wood burned away when it was fired.

The distinctive spirit house will be the focal point of the Made in Ancient Egypt exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum, which opens in October 2025. Senior Egyptologist and exhibition director Helen Strudwick states, "I have never seen such a complete handprint on an Egyptian object before." "You can picture the maker lifting it up and carrying it out of the workshop to dry before fire." 

Although the Egyptians are renowned for their ornamental ceramics, artefacts made of clay, like as this one, reveal intriguing insights into their beliefs. Historians discovered that providing food and drink to the dead was a common custom, and that the nourishing presents were displayed in spirit houses.

At the foot of this specific soul house are sculpted shapes that symbolise bread, lettuce, and an ox's head. This spirit house stands out from other ancient Egyptian artefacts today because of its handprint, but it's reasonable to assume that the individual who constructed it probably regretted unintentionally leaving their mark. These kinds of discoveries help us create a narrative around the artefact and bring us even closer to the past.