Cambridge: A 4,000-year-old handprint has been discovered on an ancient Egyptian tomb offering by curators preparing for an upcoming exhibition. The remarkable find was made by University of Cambridge researchers on a "soul house," a type of clay model shaped like a building, typically found in burials.

According to BBC, curator Helen Strudwick revealed that the complete handprint, dating back to 2055 to 1650 BC, is a rare find. The ceramic piece will be featured in the university's "Made in Ancient Egypt" exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum, which opens on October 3. The exhibition focuses on the individuals who crafted ancient Egyptian artifacts.

While ceramics were commonly used in ancient Egypt, with vast amounts of pottery surviving through the ages, relatively little is known about the potters themselves compared to other craftsmen of the era. The museum notes that the abundance and low value of pottery may have impacted the status of potters, referencing a text known as the Teaching of Khet, which unfavorably compares potters to pigs wallowing in mud.

Soul houses, like the one where the handprint was found, may have served as offering trays or provided a place for the soul of the deceased to reside within the tomb. These models often featured an open front space for offerings such as loaves of bread, lettuce, and an ox's head.

Analysis of the item suggests that the potter first constructed a framework of wooden sticks and then coated it with clay to create a two-storey building supported by pillars. During firing, the wooden framework burned away, leaving empty spaces. The handprint found beneath the structure was likely made when the potter or another individual moved the piece out of the workshop to dry before it was fired in a kiln.

The exhibition aims to highlight the often-overlooked makers of ancient Egyptian artifacts, providing insight into who these craftspeople were, how they perceived themselves, and how they were viewed by their contemporaries.