Very often, many of these objects are ignored as visitors flock to see, quite understandably and rightly, the more exotic of the displays, particularly those belonging to Tutankhamen - the enigmatic and young Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh. But if you have a little extra time for viewing in the Museum, there are two very unusual stone vessels to attract your attention. The first one is in cabinet 13, on the right-hand side of the entrance foyer. This vessel, Cairo Museum catalogue number JE6075, is made of calcite, sometimes known as Egyptian alabaster. This stone has a dark yellowish hue and is banded with different shades of white and yellow.
Calcite is a translucent stone.
If an electric light, or a candle, is placed inside a calcite vessel in a darkened room, you will be rewarded by the stone's exterior glowing with an exquisite luminosity. Serrated saws perform poorly on calcite. Test cutting with copper and bronze chisels showed an unacceptable loss of metal from their edges. The cabinet information gives Saqqara as the vessel's provenance and dates it to the First or Second Dynasty. The vessel is circular, about 30cm in diameter, comprising of three, separated circular compartments.