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Serpopard facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Cylinder seal lions Louvre MNB1167 n2
3000 BC cylinder seal of Uruk displaying a lioness motif sometimes described as a "serpopard" - Louvre

A serpopard is a mythological animal, often seen carved on cosmetic palettes (used for mixing antimony as eye shadow), during the Old Kingdom of Egypt. These palettes were made in the earliest days of history, before the pharaohs.

NarmerPalette-ROM-front
Narmer Palette - the two serpopards' necks make the basin for mixing antimony.

A serpopard looks like a leopard; however it has a very long neck unlike a leopard. In the carved pictures, they are seen being led by ropes and harnesses while they serve the Egyptians as domesticated animals. Skilled Egyptian artists always carved real animals in exactly the right shape, but the serpopard is thought to be only a mythological creature. In a later time, a similar creature would be shown in the art of Sumer and Elam.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Serpopardo para niños

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Serpopard Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.