The Sheet Metal Figurines from Byblos: Evidence for an Egyptian Import and Adaptation

This paper considers some peculiar types of figurines found in Byblos, which are cut from a tiny, thin sheet of metal (copper alloy, silver, or gold). They represent human figures, mainly male, in a standing position. These figurines have been documented in various deposits in the acropolis of Byblos and their chronological range spans from 2100 to 1650 BC. Usually presented as a Gublite product, these figurines may actually be part of an Egyptian tradition, directly imported to Byblos and then developed and readapted locally. The evidence for an Egyptian import is provided by a foundation deposit discovered at Deir el-Bahri, in the mortuary complex of Montuhotep II (c. 2020 BC), which presents similar sheet metal figurines, but of clear Egyptian manufacture and conception