This fish is similar to the Nile tilapia, an Egyptian freshwater fish that lives in North Africa and the Levant. Nile tilapia has a habit of protecting fertilized eggs in its mouth until the eggs hatch, which ancient Egyptians mistook for a natural phenomenon. This pottery delicately expresses the eyes, snout, scales, and fins of fish through intaglio decoration, and suggests the outstanding artistry possessed by ancient Egyptian craftsmen. The narrow snout, which is formed on the part connected to the dorsal fin, increases the possibility that it was used as a small perfume or oil container like an aryballos in ancient Greece.

The ritual practices of the Middle Kingdom built upon the Old Kingdom’s traditions and became increasingly more flamboyant. The upper class of noble status and abundant wealth buried food, drink, furniture, jewellery and a full set of vessels to maintain a splendid and comfortable life in the afterlife.