This charming little vessel, combining a pilgrim flask and an amphora, is of a type that became popular in Egypt during the reign of pharaoh Amenhotep III. Its exact function is unknown, but the vessel was very possibly used for cosmetics. Oil might have been stored in the flask and a dry powder, such as ground malachite, in the jar. When the two were mixed they formed a paste to adorn the eyelids. Its delicate, arching handle balances perfectly on the end of a finger. We can easily imagine some great beauty of Egypt's Golden Age enhancing the dark luster of her eyes as she readied herself for a banquet. When our fingers rest where ancient ones did so long ago, we are linked directly to that vanished time.