Head cone

Painting of the 13th century BCE showing women in ceremonial attire, one at least wearing a perfume cone.

Head cones were a type of conical ornament worn atop the head in Ancient Egypt. They are often depicted on paintings and bas-reliefs of the era, but were not found as archaeological evidence until 2019.

Function

Perfume cones were presumably made of a mixture of oils, resins and fat, and containing myrrh. Images of the era show people wearing them on wigs or on shaved heads. The slow melting of the cones due to bodily heat would have spread the fragrance.

Depiction

The first known depiction of the perfume cones dates from the reign of Hatshepsut, in scenes of banquet or funeral. Form then on, they are often seen in scenes of worship and funerals. From the Third Intermediate Period, their depiction is limited to scene of worship.

The shape of the cones varies over the 18th and 19th Dynasties, which constitutes an aid for dating the works. From the 20th Dynasty onwards, the depiction of the cones becomes schematic.

depictions of perfume cones

• 
  Musician playing the lyra with a perfum cone
• 
  Woman wearing a perfume cone, circa 1422–1411 BCE
• 
  Musician wearing a perfum cone, circa 1400 BCE
• 
  Woman wearing a perfume cone, 1350–1300 BCE
• 
  Priest Renpetmaa wearing a perfum cone, worshipping Re-Harachte, circa 900 BCE

Notes and references

Biblliography

• Rainer Hannig: Großes Handwörterbuch Ägyptisch-Deutsch: (2800-950 v. Chr.). von Zabern, Mainz 2006, ISBN 3-8053-1771-9, p. 258.
• Monika Silke Randl: Die Entwicklung der Salbkegel im Flachbild. Diplomarbeit, Universität Wien 2008