CAIROMonument
Sabu Disk
30.0483, 31.2337
Among the countless treasures of ancient Egypt held in Cairo, few provoke as much quiet fascination as the Sabu Disk, a fragile, saucer-shaped object carved from thin schist stone with three curved, lobed flanges and a raised central hub. Discovered in a First Dynasty tomb at Saqqara dating back some 5,000 years, it looks unlike anything else from the period, and no one is entirely sure what it was for.
Theories range from the mundane, an elaborate lamp holder or decorative bowl, to the wildly speculative. What is undeniable is the skill it took to shape such a delicate, complex form from brittle stone at the very dawn of Egyptian history. It is a small object that rewards a close, thoughtful look amid the grander statuary.
Know before you go
The disk is a modest piece easily missed among headline artefacts, so check current displays at the Egyptian Museum on arrival, as collections have been shifting with the Grand Egyptian Museum opening.