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Inspired by the Hippopotamus figurine, (Middle Kingdom, 2033-1710 B.C.) made in Egyptian faience and displayed in the Louvre Museum, department of Egyptian Antiquities.



At the time of the pharaohs, the hippopotamus flourished on the banks of the Nile and was a danger to the men, when they fished or hunted in the marshes. Also very early, hippopotamus hunting has become a common thing among wealthy people. Egyptian artists have often represented these hunting scenes in tombs, especially those of the Old Kingdom.

In the Middle Kingdom, it is common to have in the tomb figurines representing hippopotamuses. They are mostly made in bright blue faience and have a black painted decoration on the body. This is the aquatic environment in which these animals live. As if submerged in the wave, the hippopotamus would represent the primordial marsh, the Nun.