What Is the Oldest Thing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art?

Art|Art Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (often referred to as the MET) is a world-renowned art museum located in New York City. Founded in 1870, the museum houses a vast collection of artworks spanning thousands of years, making it one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Among its many artifacts, one of the oldest things in the MET is a set of Neolithic stone tools.

The tools were discovered in what is now Israel and are estimated to be 8,000 years old. They are believed to have been used by humans to cut and shape wood, bone, and other materials during the Neolithic period.

The tools include two flint blades, a gouge, and an awl. They were made from flintstone which was quarried from nearby areas and then shaped with primitive stone tools.

In addition to these Neolithic tools, there are also several other ancient objects on display at the MET. One is an Egyptian sarcophagus from around 600 BC which was found in Saqqara near Cairo.

It is carved out of red granite and features intricate decorations depicting scenes from ancient Egyptian mythology such as Osiris or Horus. Another object on display is a Greek statue made out of marble dating back to around 500 BC which was discovered in Sicily. The statue depicts Herakles wearing his famous lion skin cape and wielding his club.

Other ancient objects found at the MET include an Assyrian relief panel from 883 BC that depicts scenes from Assyrian life such as hunting lions or tending sheep; a Chinese bronze vessel from around 1000 BC; and a Roman mosaic floor tile depicting Hercules wrestling with Antaeus that dates back to 80 AD.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses some truly remarkable objects that span thousands of years of human history. Among these artifacts, one of the oldest items on display is a set of Neolithic stone tools that date back 8,000 years ago – making them some of oldest objects ever found at the MET!

Conclusion:

What Is the Oldest Thing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art? The oldest item on display at this world-famous museum is a set of Neolithic stone tools that date back 8,000 years ago – making them some of oldest objects ever found at the MET!