12019-05-08T16:19:19-07:00Emilia Porubcin63ec028064958b3240cc8e4e010f355faa0c8e12332303Perhaps taking inspiration from Mesopotamian technology, ancient Egyptians crafted this decorated item to keep valuables secure in life and death. It entered the collection with fragments of jewelry, so we assume this lock once kept jewelry protected from thieves or tomb robbers. Adornments were so commonplace in ancient Egypt, jewelry was a “luxury” that became almost a necessity. Thus, many people needed a place to keep it safe. This piece draws further parallels between contemporary and ancient experiences. Just as we have special places to put valuables, so too did ancient Egyptians.plain2019-05-14T23:33:44-07:00Likely acquired by Timothy Hopkins from the Egyptian Exploration Fund and donated it to Stanford before 1939Emilia Porubcin63ec028064958b3240cc8e4e010f355faa0c8e12