Circa 332-30 BC, Ptolemaic Period A squat calcite alabaster jar with pedestal foot, lateral pierced lugs to the rim, lid with corresponding lateral pierced lugs and central D-section loop. In Ancient Egypt, alabaster jars were used as containers for ointment, perfume, and other cosmetic products, such as kohl. The alabaster used by ancient civilisations in the wider Middle East (including Egypt and Mesopotamia) is also called “oriental alabaster”, which is a type of calcite. Many ancient people used alabaster for decoration, as it was easy to carve and could be treated in such a way as to resemble marble. Size: L:10.5mm / W: 90mm; 376g Provenance: From a London Art gallery; formerly in a 1960s British Collection.